Small reservations policy (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes
Small reservations policy
Background: the shift in government approach
By 1865, the relationship between the American government and Plains Indians had reached a critical turning point. The Plains Indians had become what the government viewed as a significant obstacle to western development, particularly affecting new communication routes and railroad construction projects. This growing tension led to a fundamental change in federal policy.
Originally, the American government had supported the concept of establishing "one big reservation" where Plains Indians could maintain their traditional way of life without interference. However, as westward expansion accelerated and conflicts intensified, officials decided this approach was no longer viable. The government now believed that breaking up large tribal groups and confining them to much smaller, separate reservations would be more effective in "resolving the Indian problem."
The concept of "one big reservation" represented an earlier, more tolerant approach to Native American policy. This policy allowed tribes to maintain their traditional territories and ways of life with minimal government interference. The abandonment of this approach in 1865 marked a significant shift towards more aggressive assimilation policies.
The Medicine Lodge Treaties (1867)
The Medicine Lodge Treaties marked the beginning of the small reservations policy in practice. These agreements fundamentally transformed the lives of Southern Plains Indians by:
Territorial changes: The treaties abandoned the idea of one large reservation and instead forced Southern Plains Indians to relocate to a much smaller reservation in Oklahoma. This represented a dramatic reduction in the land available to these tribes.
Military enforcement: The government made it clear that Plains Indians living outside the designated reservation boundaries would be compelled to move using military force if necessary. This removed any element of choice from the relocation process.
Assimilation programs: The treaties included provisions designed to encourage Plains Indians to abandon their traditional lifestyle and adopt white American customs. The government established boarding schools specifically for Indian children, removing them from their families and tribal influences.
Agricultural transition: The agreements included programmes to teach Plains Indians farming techniques, aiming to transform them from nomadic hunters into settled farmers. This represented a complete transformation of their economic and social structure.
The Medicine Lodge Treaties of 1867 were pivotal in implementing the small reservations policy. They established the template that would be used in subsequent treaties: forced relocation, military enforcement, mandatory assimilation programmes, and economic transformation from hunting to farming.
The Fort Laramie Treaty (1868)
The Fort Laramie Treaty extended the small reservations policy to northern Plains tribes, particularly affecting the Sioux nation:
Bozeman Trail closure: As part of the negotiations, the American government agreed to close the Bozeman Trail and abandon the military forts that had been built along this route. This represented a significant concession to Red Cloud and his followers.
Sioux relocation: Red Cloud and the Sioux tribes, recognising they could not defeat the American government in prolonged warfare, agreed to move to a small reservation in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This area was considered sacred by many Sioux, which made the relocation somewhat more acceptable to them.
Government promises: In exchange for peaceful relocation, the American government committed to providing the Sioux with regular supplies of food and medicine on their new reservation. These promises would later become a source of ongoing tension when the government failed to fulfil them adequately.
The Black Hills held deep spiritual significance for the Sioux people, who considered the area sacred. The government's choice of this location for the reservation was strategic - it offered some compensation for the loss of traditional hunting grounds while still confining the tribes to a much smaller territory than they had previously controlled.
Impact and consequences
The small reservations policy resulted in a dramatic transformation of Native American life across the Great Plains. The policy represented a shift from coexistence to forced assimilation, with the government actively working to eliminate traditional Indian culture and lifestyle.
Geographic impact: Comparing maps from 1862 and 1876 shows the devastating reduction in Indian-controlled territory. What had once been vast homelands covering much of the western United States was reduced to small, scattered reservations primarily in less desirable locations.
Cultural destruction: The boarding school system and agricultural programmes were specifically designed to break down traditional tribal structures and force Native Americans to adopt European-American ways of life.
Long-term consequences: The small reservations policy established patterns of federal control over Native American affairs that would persist well into the 20th century, fundamentally altering the relationship between the government and indigenous peoples.
Geographic Comparison: The Dramatic Reduction in Native Lands
To understand the scale of territorial loss:
- 1862: Native American tribes controlled vast territories spanning much of the western United States, including the Great Plains, mountain regions, and significant portions of what would become several states
- 1876: After implementation of the small reservations policy, Native American lands were reduced to small, scattered reservations primarily located in less fertile or desirable areas
- Result: This represented a reduction of millions of acres and the loss of traditional hunting grounds, sacred sites, and ancestral territories
The cultural impact of the small reservations policy cannot be overstated. By forcibly separating children from their families through boarding schools and prohibiting traditional practices, the government aimed to completely eliminate Native American culture within a single generation. This policy of forced assimilation had devastating effects that lasted well beyond the 19th century.
Timeline of major events
- 1865: Government attitude shifts as Plains Indians seen as major threat to western development
- 1867: Medicine Lodge Treaties force Southern Plains Indians onto small Oklahoma reservation
- 1868: Fort Laramie Treaty relocates Sioux to Black Hills reservation
- 1876: Map evidence shows dramatic reduction in Indian homelands compared to 1862
Key Points to Remember:
- The small reservations policy replaced the earlier "one big reservation" concept after 1865 due to increased conflicts over western expansion
- The Medicine Lodge Treaties (1867) and Fort Laramie Treaty (1868) were the key agreements that implemented this new policy
- The policy used both force and incentives, including military pressure and promises of food and medicine supplies
- Assimilation was a central goal, achieved through boarding schools and agricultural programmes designed to eliminate traditional Indian culture
- The geographic impact was dramatic - Native American homelands were reduced from vast territories to small, scattered reservations in just over a decade