Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History
Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016
Key topic 2: Development of the Plains, c1862–c1876 - 3 Changes in the…
Full specification wording
Option P3: Key topic 2: Development of the Plains, c1862–c1876 - 3 Changes in the ways of life of Indigenous peoples of the Plains: The impact of US government policy towards Indigenous peoples, including the continued use of reservations. The second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868).
US government policy in the 1860s increasingly forced Indigenous peoples onto smaller reservations to clear land for white settlers and the railroad.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
US government policy in the 1860s increasingly forced Indigenous peoples onto smaller reservations to clear land for white settlers and the railroad. This policy fundamentally disrupted their nomadic lifestyle, making them dependent on government rations which were often inadequate or stolen by corrupt agents. The continued use of reservations aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples by forcing them to farm, undermining their traditional culture and tribal authority. The second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868) was a direct consequence of Red Cloud's War. It created the Great Sioux Reservation, guaranteeing the Sioux exclusive rights to the Black Hills and closing the Bozeman Trail, representing a rare, albeit temporary, victory for Indigenous peoples against US expansion.
What earns the marks
- Explain how the reservation policy aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples by replacing hunting with farming.
- Describe the negative impacts of reservations, including disease, starvation due to poor rations, and loss of tribal culture.
- Identify the terms of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty, specifically the creation of the Great Sioux Reservation and closure of the Bozeman Trail.
- Analyse the significance of the 1868 Treaty as a temporary halt to US expansion in Sioux territory.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing the first (1851) and second (1868) Fort Laramie Treaties.
Put it right: The 1868 treaty specifically closed the Bozeman Trail and created the Great Sioux Reservation.
Assuming reservations were large, fertile lands.
Put it right: They were often small, barren tracts unsuitable for the farming the government expected Indigenous peoples to adopt.
Believing the US government strictly adhered to the 1868 Treaty.
Put it right: The discovery of gold in the Black Hills soon led to the treaty being broken by the US.
Exam tips
- When discussing the impact of reservations, link the loss of hunting grounds directly to the decline of the buffalo and the destruction of the nomadic Plains culture.
- Use the second Fort Laramie Treaty as evidence of how Indigenous resistance (Red Cloud's War) could temporarily force the US government to change its policy.
- Highlight the role of corrupt Indian Agents when explaining why the reservation system caused starvation and suffering.
Try the lesson
The start of the Option P3: Key topic 2: Development of the Plains, c1862–c1876 - 3 Changes in the ways of life of Indigenous peoples of the Plains: The impact of US government policy towards Indigenous peoples, including the continued use of reservations. The second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868). lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
What was a key provision of the second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868) regarding the Sioux nation?
Listen
US government policy in the 1860s increasingly forced Indigenous peoples onto smaller reservations to clear land for white settlers and the railroad. This policy fundamentally disrupted their nomadic lifestyle, making them dependent on government rations which were often inadequate or stolen by corrupt agents. The continued use of reservations aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples by forcing them to farm, undermining their traditional culture and tribal authority. The second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868) was a direct consequence of Red Cloud's War. It created the Great Sioux Reservation, guaranteeing the Sioux exclusive rights to the Black Hills and closing the Bozeman Trail, representing a rare, albeit temporary, victory for Indigenous peoples against US expansion. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explain how the reservation policy aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples by replacing hunting with farming. Describe the negative impacts of reservations, including disease, starvation due to poor rations, and loss of tribal culture. Identify the terms of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty, specifically the creation of the Great Sioux Reservation and closure of the Bozeman Trail. Analyse the significance of the 1868 Treaty as a temporary halt to US expansion in Sioux territory. Exam tip: When discussing the impact of reservations, link the loss of hunting grounds directly to the decline of the buffalo and the destruction of the nomadic Plains culture.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Assimilation
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Government Policy
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Broken Treaties
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Cultural Destruction
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See every definition
- Assimilation
- The aim of forcing Indigenous peoples to farm, undermining their traditional culture and tribal authority.
- Government Policy
- The approach that increasingly forced Indigenous peoples onto smaller reservations to clear land for white settlers and the railroad.
- Broken Treaties
- Agreements the US government did not strictly adhere to, as when the discovery of gold in the Black Hills led to the 1868 Treaty being broken.
- Cultural Destruction
- The loss of tribal culture caused by the negative impacts of reservations.
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Test your understanding of Option P3: Key topic 2: Development of the Plains, c1862–c1876 - 3 Changes in the ways of life of Indigenous peoples of the Plains: The impact of US government policy towards Indigenous peoples, including the continued use of reservations. The second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868).
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