How Did American Indians Change The Life Of Native Americans?

American Indians have been around for more than 15,000 years. Although Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492, there were already people living in what is now called the United States. During the 1800s, American Indians had to deal with all the immigrants from Europe “invading their land”. The Native Americans tried to resist relocation due to the Westward Expansion, but because of reduced population through disease and warfare and assimilation with the immigrants, they didn’t have much of a choice. In 1598 the Spanish brought over horses and that changed the life of American Indians. In the mid-1700’s, almost all of the tribes moved out to the plains to hunt buffalo. Horses made travel and hunting much easier for them. Native Americans used buffalo hide for making tepees, clothing, shoes, and blankets. Unlike the immigrants, the American Indian people believed that land was something that could not be owned. Tatanka Lyotanka, also known as Sitting Bull, led the Sioux tribe by strength and purpose. Lieutenant General George Armstrong Custer found gold on the Sioux reservation in the Dakotas. Chief Sitting Bull refused to sell his land to Custer and instead convinced Chief Crazy Horse to fight. On June 25, 1876, Custer and a few hundred of his men
In the early 1800’s more than 65 million buffalo roamed in America. By 1890, less than 1000 buffalo were left due to settlers and tourists shooting and hunting them for sport. In 1887, the congress passed the Dawes General Allotment Act splitting Native American land into allotments, destroying the Native American culture of communal property. The government took the “leftover” land and sold it to the American Settlers. The government also took away children from their families and sent them schools like the Carlisle School in Pennsylvania to “Americanize” them. By 1932, settlers had taken over 2/3 of land that was set aside for Native