Medicine Lodge Treaty

Medicine Lodge Treaty. A treaty but still no peace. , Following the Civil War, westward expansion led to violence between settlers and Native tribes, prompting the U.S. to begin treaty talks. Representatives of five Southern Plains Indian tribes chose a meeting site where the present-day Medicine Lodge River and Elm Creek converge. An ancient sanctuary, the tribes believed they would be protected because of the area’s sacred role in their society and its distance from American settlement. , In the fall of 1867, the Peace Commission arrived, consisting of seven military and civilian leaders. Hundreds of military personnel were also present. As many as 15,000 Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa and Plains Apache camped nearby, among them important chiefs Satanta, Little Raven, and Black Kettle. In the end, three treaties were signed by various tribal alliances collectively referred to as the Medicine Lodge Treaty. , Medicine Lodge Treaty , The Treaty stated that the tribes would stop opposing the construction of the railroad, give up their claims from the Platte to the Arkansas rivers, and relocate to reservations in Indian Territory, present-day Oklahoma. , Unfortunately, the Medicine Lodge Treaty did not bring much peace because both the U.S. and tribes failed to fully honor the agreement. Deliveries of goods and rations were delayed and inadequate, which created starvation and sickness on the reservations. Meanwhile, tribes continued to raid to alleviate starvation and show resistance to the government. The Treaty did facilitate the building of the railroads and white settlement. The Treaty signing is commemorated in Medicine Lodge. , The Five Tribes of the Plains , Arapaho: , Originally from Lake Superior, the Arapaho transitioned from farming to hunting bison on the Plains, allying with the Cheyenne along the way. The tribe eventually separated into the Northern and Southern Arapaho. By 1840, the Arapaho had made peace with the other Plains Tribes, allying with the Comanche and Kiowa in addition to the Cheyenne. Chief Little Raven, a great orator, spoke for the Arapaho during the Medicine Lodge Treaty talks. , Comanche: , Migrating from the Rocky Mountains, the Comanche were hunters, and horses became integral to their lifestyle after meeting the Spanish. As they migrated to Oklahoma, the Comanche fought with the Kiowa, but peace was made by 1790. Chief Ten Bears spoke during the Medicine Lodge Treaty talks. Later, life on the reservation and the disappearance of the bison caused the Comanche to lash out against white settlers and the government. , Kiowa: , The Kiowa, among the bravest and most warlike of the Plains tribes, migrated from the Rocky Mountains. They learned of horses while allied with the Crow tribe, but moved to the Black Hills, and later the Arkansas River due to fights with the Cheyenne and Dakota. In 1790, the Kiowa made peace with the Comanche, followed by peace with the Cheyenne and Arapaho in 1840. However, the Plains Apache remained constant allies and were even considered a federated part of the Kiowa. Ten Kiowa leaders signed the Treaty, including Chief Satanta, one of the most talented orators present. Once settled on their reservation, the Kiowa defied the U.S. government, continuing to raid white villages and steal horses., Plains Apache: , The Plains Apache, also called the Kiowa-Apache, were long friends with the Kiowa. Since 1837, when the Plains Apache and Kiowa signed their first treaty with the U.S., the tribes were linked. After the Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty, the Plains Apache peaceably settled on their reservation. The U.S. commended them for their industry and self-sufficiency. , Cheyenne: , The Cheyenne, originally from Minnesota, once lived in permanent villages. They traveled south with the Arapaho to become nomadic bison hunters on the plains, partly due to hostilities with the Sioux. The Cheyenne ended up along the Arkansas River where they fought with the Kiowa until making peace in 1840. During the 1864 “Sand Creek Massacre,” the U.S. government destroyed their village, killing mostly women and children. They made peace with the U.S. government during the Medicine Lodge Treaty and joined the Arapaho on a reservation.