Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868

"This war was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father who came to take our land from us without price."

— Spotted Tail

The westward expansion of the United States during the 19th century brought immense challenges and devastating consequences for the Native American tribes who had inhabited the land for millennia. As American and European settlers pushed further west, their desire for land, resources, and new opportunities clashed violently with the Native Americans’ determination to preserve their ancestral territories, their sovereign rights, and their traditional ways of life. This conflict ignited a series of brutal Indian Wars and skirmishes throughout the 1860s and 1870s, leaving a legacy of pain, displacement, and broken promises.

Recognizing the escalating tensions and the urgent need for a resolution, the United States government initiated a study in 1865, conducted by a congressional committee, into the causes and conditions of the Indian uprisings in the West. The outcome of this investigation was a comprehensive "Report on the Condition of the Indian Tribes," released in 1867. This report served as a catalyst for the establishment of an Indian Peace Commission, tasked with the daunting mission of ending the ongoing wars and preventing future conflicts between the United States and the Native American tribes.

The United States government, driven by a desire to secure its westward expansion, embarked on a path of negotiating a series of treaties with various Native American tribes. These treaties were designed to compel the tribes to cede their vast territories and relocate further west onto designated reservations. These reservations were often smaller and less desirable than the lands the tribes had traditionally occupied. The government’s intention was to confine the Native Americans, opening up more land for settlement and resource extraction by the rapidly growing population of the United States.

In the spring of 1868, a significant conference convened at Fort Laramie in Wyoming Territory. This gathering brought together representatives of the United States government and leaders of the various bands of the Sioux Nation. The aim of the conference was to negotiate a treaty that would establish peace between the white settlers and the Sioux, one of the most powerful and influential tribes in the region. The outcome of this conference was the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, a document that held both promises of peace and the seeds of future conflict.

The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 sought to establish a lasting peace by defining specific territories for the Sioux Nation. Under the terms of the treaty, the Sioux agreed to settle within the boundaries of the Great Sioux Reservation, which included the Black Hills region of present-day South Dakota. This area, considered sacred ground by the Sioux people, was to be set aside for their exclusive use and occupancy. The United States government, in turn, pledged to protect the Sioux’s rights to this land and to provide them with resources and assistance to help them adapt to a new way of life.

The Black Hills held immense spiritual and cultural significance for the Sioux. The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 formally recognized this sacred connection, acknowledging the Black Hills as an integral part of the Great Sioux Reservation. The treaty stipulated that the land was to be held for the exclusive use and benefit of the Sioux people, free from encroachment by white settlers or exploitation of its resources. This provision was intended to provide the Sioux with a secure and protected homeland where they could maintain their traditional way of life and practice their spiritual beliefs.

Despite the promises of peace and protection enshrined in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874 shattered the fragile peace and set the stage for renewed conflict. General George A. Custer led a military expedition into the Black Hills, accompanied by prospectors eager to strike it rich. The news of gold quickly spread, and thousands of miners and settlers poured into the Sioux’s sacred land, disregarding the treaty and staking claims to the gold-rich territory.

The influx of prospectors and settlers into the Black Hills created an untenable situation. The Sioux, feeling betrayed and threatened by the violation of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, resisted the encroachment on their land. Tensions escalated, and the miners and settlers demanded protection from the United States Army. The government, bowing to pressure from its citizens, ordered the army to move against the "wandering bands of Sioux" who were hunting on the range, exercising their treaty rights. This action further inflamed the situation and led to open warfare.

In 1876, the conflict reached a boiling point when Custer, leading a detachment of the 7th Cavalry, encountered a large encampment of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors at the Little Bighorn River. The ensuing battle resulted in the annihilation of Custer’s detachment, a stunning victory for the Native American forces. However, this victory was short-lived. The United States government, determined to assert its authority, intensified its military campaign against the Sioux in the Black Hills. In 1877, the government unilaterally confiscated the Black Hills, disregarding the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and dispossessing the Sioux of their sacred land.

To this day, the ownership of the Black Hills remains a contentious legal and moral issue. The Sioux Nation has never relinquished its claim to the Black Hills and continues to fight for the return of their ancestral lands. The United States government has offered financial compensation for the loss of the Black Hills, but the Sioux have consistently refused, asserting that no amount of money can compensate for the loss of their sacred ground and the violation of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. The dispute over the Black Hills stands as a stark reminder of the broken promises and injustices inflicted upon Native American tribes during the westward expansion of the United States.

Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868: A Summary of Key Articles

The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 was a complex document comprising seventeen articles, each addressing specific aspects of the relationship between the United States government and the Sioux Nation. Some of the most important articles include:

• Article 1: This article established a commitment to peace between the United States and the Sioux Nation. It pledged that both parties would hold each other accountable for the actions of their citizens and would seek to resolve disputes through legal channels.
• Article 2: This article defined the boundaries of the Great Sioux Reservation, setting aside a vast territory for the exclusive use and occupation of the Sioux and other friendly tribes.
• Article 6: This article outlined provisions for individual Sioux families to take up farming on the reservation. It allowed them to select and cultivate tracts of land, with the promise of eventual ownership.
• Article 7: This article addressed the issue of education, recognizing the need for the Sioux children to learn English and other skills necessary for assimilation into American society. It pledged to provide teachers and schoolhouses on the reservation.
• Article 10: This article detailed the provisions for providing the Sioux with clothing, food, and other supplies. It stipulated that the United States would provide annual payments and goods to help the Sioux adapt to their new way of life on the reservation.
• Article 11: This article addressed the Sioux’s right to hunt. While relinquishing their claim to permanent occupancy outside the reservation, they reserved the right to hunt on lands north of the North Platte River and on the Republican Fork of the Smoky Hill River, as long as the buffalo remained plentiful.
• Article 12: This article stipulated that any future cession of land within the reservation would require the consent of at least three-fourths of all adult male Indians occupying or interested in the land.
• Article 16: This article recognized a large area north of the North Platte River and east of the Big Horn Mountains as unceded Indian territory, prohibiting white settlement or passage without the consent of the Indians.

These articles, while seemingly intended to establish a framework for peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit, ultimately failed to prevent the outbreak of further conflict and the eventual violation of the treaty by the United States government. The discovery of gold in the Black Hills and the subsequent disregard for the Sioux’s rights under the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 stand as a testament to the complex and often tragic history of the relationship between the United States and the Native American tribes.

The legacy of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 continues to resonate today, serving as a reminder of the importance of honoring treaties and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples. The ongoing struggle for the return of the Black Hills underscores the enduring significance of this treaty and the need for a just and equitable resolution to the historical injustices suffered by the Sioux Nation.