Conflict with the American Indian

TL;DR - Early on, conflict was minimal. With more new entrants, the potential for conflict grew. For almost two centuries, the incursion covered coastal areas. Even though western movement started early on, it was a gradual affair with small steps. Until the Revolution and Europe (Spain, France) giving (selling) their claims. Even then, the expanding frontier was an experience of over a century. We can look at the history with an educated eye. What are resolutions that might be pending? Events like the 400ths (and the 300ths, and 250ths, and 200ths, and the 100ths) are good points to step back and review. 

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Though we have mentioned the American Indians (changed in the blog from Native Americans) whose population experienced the incursion from Europe in several posts, we need to make this topic a regular point of research. Our focus was primarily New England for a while; just recently, we see that we need to change to a broader view since the West was established over several long decades after the Revolution. 

And, part of that widening is to bring New France and New Spain into the discussion where New England had much more association with the former. So, we will continue to have the early period that pertain to the colonies. Then, there is the following period that is around the Revolution and shortly after. Before, we had the French-Indian affair which involved quibbling with New France. Conflicts in that period occurred in what we can call the south (say Florida) and the mid-West. 

Then, we can focus on the period up to the Civil War. And, finally, there would be the time after the Civil War (which really is open ended). Each of these periods involve clashes between immigrants and the American Indians. But, there are inter-American-Indian issues to look at, too. Some talk of these latter two partitions as East of and West of the Mississippi (this post uses the Ohio River as an example of friction building). But, we saw it, too, with Boone, earlier. 

See Wikipedia's American Indian Wars. 

We can use our partitioning where we point to a post for an example of the period. 

• Colonial (to 1776) - John Goff's article can serve as our example: King Philip's conflict (John Goff's article). 
• Wilderness (to Lewis & Clark) - A southern example would be the Trail of Tears. 
• Going west (to Civil War) - The trappers were from the territories of New France, originally. Later, we find wanderers from the east coast. Example: Arikara War which gave us Hugh Glass and a movie (see Gardner River which is even further out). 
• Everywhere frontier (Civil War, on) - Some of these conflicts were from the west coast (Oregon and surrounds) inward. 

Let's leave our cursory beginning with a couple of links. 

• U.S. Army view - Indian War Campaigns
• The Order of the Indian Wars of the United States - Campaigns  

So, we have not been unaware. There was lots of material to read, digest, and organize. So, conflicts? Has the U.S. ever been without this? We mentioned from the beginning that the future would include participation by American Indians in ways to be discovered. The Mayflower event was a good example. 

An additional comment is in order. After the work of the past three years, it is our assessment that the eastern stuff is well handled. That is, the stories told, except we have found a few. So, we will have a continuing appreciation of the east (east is least?). On the other hand, the west is sorely covered and needs a whole lot more attention. It is not that easterners of note have not come out, after all we have Lawrence KS (see Frontier century) as an example. But, the NCAA is a good metaphor. How many easterners know about the PAC-12 (we have to kick ourselves to remember the PAC-8)? So, we'll end with this graphic. 

Promises in 1851

These are the promises of 1851. We can find those before and after. And, will. 

As an aside, this is about the time that Judge Thompson was on his jaunt where he helped found Montana. It is past the California Gold Fever. But, people were still on the look out for things that shine or had some value (the whole bit of establishing this will come into the discussion, as well). 

Remarks: Modified: 05/28/2022

05/02/2021 -- Brief recap of the later times: Great Sioux Reservation. 

06/02/2021 -- Learning more about the American Indian leaders and the New Englanders who were at the Little Arkansas Peace negotiations and signing. 

05/28/2022 -- Memorial Day, 2022 - An Osage Mission.