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| | == Indians and the Frontier == | | == Indians and the Frontier == |
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| − | Indians: | + | Conflicts with the Indians started to subside after "Custer's Last Stand." There were bloody battles in 1877 between the U.S. Army and the Nez Perce, an Indian tribe led by Chief Joseph in Oregon and Idaho. This tribe did better against the U.S. Army than other tribes had, but ultimately this tribe was relocated to Oklahoma just as many others had been. Oklahoma has by far the largest Indian population (by percentage) of any state. |
| − | Helen Hunt Jackson "1881: published book called ""A Century of Dishonor"", which cited unjust treatment of Indians by U.S."
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| − | Dawes Act "1887: granted landholdings (allotments, usually 160 acres/65 hectares) to individual Native Americans, replacing communal tribal holdings. It sought to absorb tribe members into the general public
| + | Today there are 38 national historic sites in the northwest (Oregon, Washington, Montana and Idaho) in honor of the Nez Perce,<ref>http://www.nps.gov/nepe/</ref> which are frequently visited by tourists. |
| − | The Act was a failure: within decades most of the tribal land had become owned by non-Indians
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| − | Frontier:
| + | In 1881, a book was published that attempted to do for the Native Americans what "Uncle Tom's Cabin" did for African Americans. called "A Century of Dishonor"", it complained about and exposed unjust treatment of Indians by the United States. Its author was Helen Hunt Jackson. |
| − | US Census Bureau declares … 1890: … the frontier has been settled and is officially closed
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| − | Frederick Jackson Turner 1893: wrote that frontier experience promoted individualism & democracy
| + | In 1887, partly in reaction to this book, Congress enacted the Dawes Act to help Indians. This law granted landholdings (allotments, usually 160 acres or 65 hectares) to individual Native Americans, which replaced communal tribal holdings. In other words, this law attempted to convert the tribal structure of Indian life into the individualized private property system used by Europeans and most Americans. It sought to absorb tribe members into the general public. |
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| − | Chief Joseph/Nez Perce "1877: Oregon and Idaho, Indians outwit feds but then relocate to Oklahoma, which has large Indian populat."
| + | This law was a complete failure. Within decades most of the tribal land had been transferred into ownership by non-Indians, and the Indians were worse off than they were before. This was an example of government trying to make something better, but actually making it worse. |
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| | + | In 1890, the U.S. Census Bureau declared that the frontier is settled and officially closed. The era of frontier America, which first began with the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, and then spread westward for nearly 300 years, was over. Frederick Jackson Turner wrote in 1893 that frontier experience had promoted individualism and democracy. |
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| | == Tariffs, Taxes and Pensions == | | == Tariffs, Taxes and Pensions == |