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How Did Western Expansion Affect The Lives Of Natives

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In the late 1800s, America began to grow and government decided to explore and expand to new lands. After sending explorers to see the new land, they began to move into the western territory where Natives were already settled. Western expansion affected the lives of Native Americans during the period 1860- 1890 because Americans forcefully took their land, lives and traditions away. The government pushed for the removal of Natives in any way possible or get them to convert to American ways. The lives of natives as American troops began to come in and take over. Soldiers killed many natives who meant them no harm. According to S.G. Colley, Colonel Chivington led a surprise attack on the indians and killed many of them. He let his troops mutilate innocent women and children, as well as men, because they were indians. Not only were they massacred by American Colonel Chivington, but many were also killed in fighting for their land. Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce begged for surrender as his people were dying because of fighting, lack of food, and freezing to death. …show more content…

The US government wanted the indians to take come into “white ways”. Chief Luther Standing Bear tells his experience after leaving the reservation. He explains how he unexpectedly learned the ways of the white man instead of his original idea of doing a “brave deed”. Also, in Powell’s report, he pushes for Native children to be put into schools to learn english and american ways to work. He pushed for houses to be built to encourage indians to convert to american traditions and ways of life. American soldiers came into Indian territory and took their traditions away, but even after taking their lives and their culture, the US still needed

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