Sand Creek Massacre

Definition

The Sand Creek Massacre was a brutal attack carried out by the U.S. Army against a peaceful encampment of Cheyenne and Arapaho Native Americans in 1864, resulting in the deaths of over 200 people, most of them women, children, and the elderly.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Sand Creek Massacre was a pivotal event in the broader U.S. government's policy of forcibly removing and subjugating Native American tribes during the 19th century.
2. The attack on the peaceful encampment was carried out despite the Cheyenne and Arapaho having a peace treaty with the U.S. government, and many of the victims were unarmed women, children, and the elderly.
3. The massacre sparked outrage and condemnation, leading to a congressional investigation that found the attack to be a deliberate and unprovoked act of violence against a defenseless population.
4. The trauma and loss of life suffered by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes at Sand Creek had a devastating impact on their communities and fueled further resistance and conflict with the U.S. government.
5. The Sand Creek Massacre is widely regarded as one of the most egregious examples of the U.S. government's disregard for Native American rights and the systematic assault on their way of life during the 19th century.

Review Questions

• Describe the key events and circumstances surrounding the Sand Creek Massacre.
  • The Sand Creek Massacre occurred in 1864 when a group of U.S. Army soldiers, led by Colonel John Chivington, attacked a peaceful encampment of Cheyenne and Arapaho Native Americans in Colorado. Despite the Cheyenne and Arapaho having a peace treaty with the government, Chivington's troops brutally killed over 200 people, most of them women, children, and the elderly. The massacre was a deliberate and unprovoked act of violence against a defenseless population and sparked outrage and condemnation, leading to a congressional investigation that found the attack to be a grave violation of the government's obligations to the Native American tribes.
• Explain the significance of the Sand Creek Massacre in the context of the U.S. government's broader policies towards Native American tribes during the 19th century.
  • The Sand Creek Massacre was a pivotal event in the U.S. government's systematic assault on Native American life and culture during the 19th century. It exemplified the government's disregard for Native American rights and its willingness to use brutal force to subjugate and remove tribes from their ancestral lands, even when they had peace treaties in place. The massacre had a devastating impact on the Cheyenne and Arapaho communities, fueling further resistance and conflict, and it became a symbol of the government's inhumane and unjust treatment of Native Americans. The Sand Creek Massacre was a tragic manifestation of the U.S. government's broader policy of forcibly assimilating or eliminating Native American tribes in order to facilitate westward expansion and the exploitation of their lands.
• Analyze the long-term consequences of the Sand Creek Massacre on Native American-U.S. government relations and the broader struggle for Native American rights and sovereignty.
  • The Sand Creek Massacre had profound and long-lasting consequences for Native American-U.S. government relations and the broader struggle for Native American rights and sovereignty. The trauma and loss of life suffered by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes at Sand Creek fueled further resistance and conflict, as they sought to defend their lands and way of life against the encroachment of the U.S. government and white settlers. The massacre also became a powerful symbol of the government's disregard for Native American rights and the systematic assault on their cultures, sparking outrage and condemnation that resonated far beyond the immediate event. In the aftermath of Sand Creek, Native American tribes across the country became increasingly distrustful of the government's promises and more determined to resist its efforts to subjugate and assimilate them. The massacre thus represented a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle for Native American sovereignty and self-determination, a struggle that would continue to shape the complex and often contentious relationship between Native Americans and the U.S. government for generations to come.

Related terms

Cheyenne: A Plains Indian tribe that was the primary target of the Sand Creek Massacre, known for their rich cultural traditions and fierce resistance to encroachment on their lands.

Arapaho: A Plains Indian tribe that was also present in the encampment at Sand Creek and suffered devastating losses in the massacre, closely allied with the Cheyenne people.

Colonel John Chivington: The U.S. Army officer who led the attack on the Native American encampment at Sand Creek, despite their having a peace treaty with the government.