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| Illustration of the Sand Creek Massacre |
Sources
On this digital newspaper I was able to find reliable primary source information about the Sand Creek massacre, such as how it was viewed by fellow Americans.
For this digital newspaper I was able to find information pertaining to the background of the massacre but also able to find names and dates that the massacre occurred on and also names of the people involved.
I was able to find information about the background and story line of the massacre but I also find useful information that surrounded the massacre in the United States at this time.
In this book, I was able to find opinion made my many americans pertaining to the massacre and their opinion and view on the massacre, including why is was called a massacre instead of a battle.
On this digital newspaper I also found many bits and pieces building up the background and story line of the massacre, and used this primary source as a check point to compare my past research with.
On the National Park Service website I was able to find pictures of the grounds where the massacre took place, helping me visualize the circumstances and scenery of the massacre.
This source was very helpful in understanding why the Sand Creek Massacre was referred to as a massacre, and revisited the massacre and built opinions on it to this day.
The
Sand Creek Massacre is known as a massacre because of the cruelty of the events
that happened on November 29, 1864. On
that day in November 1864, Colonel John M. Chivington led 700 members of
Colorado territory militia to attack the Cheyenne and Apraho Indian villages in
Sand Creek, Colorado. Colonel Chivington led his militia to attack after a
heavy night of drinking to attack and massacre the Indians. Two-thirds of the
Native Americans slaughtered that day were women and children. History net; Sand
Creek massacre, Westward expansion from the Wild West claims, “For years, US
has been engaged in conflict with several Indian tribes over territory.”
In
the previous year of 1851, the Treaty of Fort Laramie was signed by the United
States which gave Indians extensive territory in the west, but the Pikes Peak
gold rush in 1858 made the United States renegotiate territory terms. Because
of the United States wanting to renegotiate the terms of Indians land, the
Treaty of Fort Wise was proposed in 1861. The Treaty of Fort Wise took away
land from the Indian people that had previously been given to them by the
United States. To end turmoil with a large and up and coming country, the
Cheyenne and Arapaho chiefs signed to the treaty. The sizes of Indian tribe lands
were one-thirteenth their original size. Although the Treaty of Fort Wise was
signed as a peace treaty, not all surrounding Indian tribes were happy with the
terms. To rebel from this treaty robbing
them of their land, the Cheyenne and Lakota tribes created the “Dog Soldiers.”
The Dog Soldiers consisted of men and women from tribes that were opposed to
having white settlers on what they considered their land. Before the attacks of
the Sand Creek massacre on November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington, with consent
from the Colorado governor John Evans, began attacks on several Cheyenne camps
with his militia. These first attacks on the Cheyenne camps, initiated many
other breakouts of attacks in surrounding areas, such as in Kansas under watch
of Lieutenant George S. Eayre. The US believed that these tribes would
surrender and cease the rebellion, but they were wrong. The Cheyenne tribes
retaliated and made the US angry.
The
United States did not act very heroic in the act of handling Indian Territory land
disagreements. According to a post from the Library of Congress: Baxter Springs
news, it is noted that “The massacre is agreed by all the have been one of the
most foul and dastardly on record.” Americans viewed these attacks on the
Indian tribes as terrible, and ridiculous within itself. Colonel John
Chivington’s attack in Sand Creek is known as a massacre because of the
drunkenness and sloppiness of a US Colonel and Militia. The 700 member of the
Colorado militia killed 1,200 Indians of all ages and sexes, as well as scalped
and bodies mutilated by white men on that November day in 1864. The Baxter News
also claims, “Evidence of this investigation showed that Indians were nearly
defenseless, women and children, as well as men killed and scalped, their ears
and noses cut off; children shot at their mothers breast and the bodies
mutilated in the most horrible manner.” This quotation from the Baxter News
proves that the massacre was not only referred to as a massacre, but was truly
a mutilation of the human race.
The
Library of Congress; Donaldson chief post referred to the Sand Creek massacre
as, “One of the bloodiest tragedies in the history of Indian warfare in the
west.” One question constantly asked by American people to this day is, “Was
slaughter justified?” I believe that in no way were the atrocities committed in
Sand Creek on that day justified, because of the drunkenness and the
irresponsibly of one of our American leaders. Chivington, a leader of the
American country, committed an atrocious act all for the selfishness of wanting
to gain more land. The National Park Service labeled the historic grounds of
the Sand Creek Massacre as the first unit/ event in which federal troops killed
Native Americans, and referred to it as a “massacre.”
Great job using a quote at the end of your intro to hook your readers in!
ReplyDeleteI like how you gave us the perspective from the U.S and from the perspective of the indians.
ReplyDeleteI like how you used dates throughout your essay, it helped keep you informed on what was going on and the time period. I enjoyed reading your essay. Good job.
ReplyDelete