Important People & Terms

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Billy the Kid (William H. Bonney) 1859-1881
-New Mexican Outlaw
-Charged with 12 murders by age of 15
-turned to cattle rustling
-was captured and sentenced to die after killing deputy and sherriff. He escaped by killing 2 guards and was shot to death on July 13, 1881
For more info:Billy the Kid

Chief Joseph 1840-1904

-Chief of the Nez Pierce
-remembered for leadership during hostilities between US army & Nez Pierce in 1887
-in 1855 under Stevens Treaty of 1855, the Nez Pierce gave land to US government in return for a guantee of a large reservation in Oregon and Idaho.
-Chief Joseph resisted the US government demand to relinguish part of his reservation because of the discovery of gold
-Chief Joseph later agreed to move peacefully with his people to the Lapwai Reservation in Idaho
-Fighting in 1877
-young Nez Pierce Warriors retaliated against outrageous acts by white settlers.
-Chief Joseph revealed skill in military tactics by defeating larger US forces in several battles.
-led his people on a retreat (over 1,000 miles ) to try to reach Canada
- September 30, 1877 federal troops overtook the Nez Pierce 30 miles from Canada
-Chief Joseph surrendered because his people were dead, wounded, or starving "I will fight no more forever"
-Sent to Indian Territory in OK, but in 83 returned to Idaho reservation
For more info:Chief Joseph's Speeches

Indian Wars Objectives of US military policy concerning Native Americans
-keep travel routes open
-protect settlers after 1870: war fought to force tribes onto reservations they had supposedly already accepted
-return them to reservation that they had fled

Battle of Little Bighorn ( June 25, 1876) "Custer's last stand"

-last major Indian victory
- Sioux & Cheyenes resisted incursions of whites wanting gold on Indian Land in Black Hills, S. Dakota
- army sent to subdue Sioux leaders : Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse
- George Custer of the 7th Calvary attacked a small force of 225 men => Custer & all his men were killed

More info: Custer
Little Bighorn

Geneal George Custer in his Army uniform

Modoc Wars 1872-73
-dissatisfied members of the Modoc tribe, attempted to break away from the reservation
-Federal troops put an end to, but suffered many casualties
-the reblal Modocs were imprisoned in OK

Ute Wars 1870-1880's
-mining interest forced Northern Ute from their treaty lands & consolidated on the Uintah & Vuray reservation NE Utah -Southern Ute were confined to a small strip of SW CO in 1877

Jesse James (1847-1882)
-at 15 joined band of pro-confederate guerillas
-after civil war formed a gang with bother Frank
-held up banks, stagecoaches, & trains until 1876=> gang was decimated when trying to rob a bank in Northfield , MN
-Jesse & Frank escaped & formed a new gang
-April 3, 1882 : shot and killed by a fellow gang member for a reward
For more info:Jesse James

Outlaws- as the American frontier moved west in the 19th century, outlaws & lawlessness posed serious problems => an attractive haven for criminals
-not limited to the fringers of civilization -more crime in mining camps & cattle twon

The famous outlaw, Jesse James

Calamity Jane (1852-1903) n. Martha Jane Canary
-a wondering frontierswoman who dressed like a man & frequented bars/ saloons
-orphaned in 1867 & began roaming mining districts of the west
-a companion of Wild Bill Hickok -toured in WIld West shows & claimes thave been a pony express rider & a scout with General Custer's Forces
For more info:Calamity Jane

Wild Bill Hickok (James Butler) 1837-1876
-indian fighter & frontier marshal famous for his deadly shooting federal Scout during Civil War
-toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West shows.
- shot & killed while playing poker in Deadwood Dakota Territory
For more info: Wild Bill Hickok

William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846-1917)

-helped shape the worlds romantic image of the American frontier
-rode the Pony Express -supplied buffalo meat for workers on Kansas Pacific Railroad
-Chief Scout for 5th U.S. Calvary => in several Indian fights
-In 1883 oragnized Wild West show that staged Indian fights, roundups, stage robberies, and buffalo hunts
-toured US until 1913>
For more info: An extensive array of info, pictures and more links about Buffalo Bill

William Cody "Buffalo Bill"

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