How did the gold rushes destroy the native americans?

During the California Gold Rush (beginning in 1849) the official policy of the state government in regards to Native Americans was extermination. Think about that for a second. The government actually backed the outright slaughter of an entire race of people. There was so much competition for gold that prospectors were killing each other for areas to pan for gold. Native Americans had been living in gold country for thousands of years and were unlucky enough to be in the prospectors’ way when it was discovered.

In my neck of the “woods”… here in the Wyoming area… the main gold rush was in the Black Hills in the Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota area (see Devils Tower area!).

At first, “white” man had no interest in this area, and it was promised to the Native Americans “forever.” The wagon trails from east to west didn’t even run through the area, but south, through the Nebraska/southern Wyoming area. However, when gold was discovered in the Black Hills… WELLLLLL!!!!!

Something had to be done to allow the “white” man to access the area, but the “sticking point” was that it had already been promised to the Indians. What to DO???

Well, a sort of “back door” approach was used. The trails west were suddenly turned northward (Bridger Trail, Oregon Trail) but it ran either through or very close to the Black Hills. When the Indians objected and attacked the wagon trains/pioneers… SUDDENLY there was a need to PROTECT the pioneers.

In comes the CAVALRY!!! Not only did the cavalry protect the pioneers, they were also sent into the Black Hills area to SURVEY the area to see if the gold reports were true… they were! The “Indian problem” had to be dealt with! Ever heard of Custer’s Last Stand??? You bet, this was tied in with all the happenings in the Black Hills area. Prior to Custer’s Last Stand, the Indians were more of a nuisance, but after the Indians “slaughtered” Custer and the 7th Cavalry… well… that could NOT be tolerated!

Many people refer to Custer’s Last Stand as the “Beginning of the End” of the Indian “problem.” There was no longer ANY tolerance for Indian “freedom” or uprisings. They had to be killed, contained, and kept on their reservations. (Oklahoma… well, practically the entire state was an Indian reservation, even unto today.)

When the Indians were “confined” the “white man” attempted to obliterate their culture, language, religion, etc. Now, look up what happened at “Wounded Knee.”

And what… ALL THIS because of the gold rushes? We weren’t even speaking of the more famous gold rush in California, the “49’ers”… that would be 1849!!

So, there you have just a portion of your “discussion.” Use Wikipedia and your other sources, and you can “flesh out” your work to a HUGE paper!

Good luck and have a great day!

The gold rush came with an invention that would almost destroy all the Bison of the Native Americans: the railroads.

The railroad trains were being de-railed by the Bisons that stood on the tracks. To solve this problem, a wedged, steel-framed grate was added to the front of the trains, that would ram into the Bison and clear them from the tracks. Thousands of Bison were killed, and without Bison to hunt, the Native Americans began to starve. This is just one example of how the white settlers destroyed the Native Americans during the gold rush.

I hope this helps. Now go VOTE!

When they first came over the mountains here to california looking for the ‘yellow metal’ We showed them were it was, in the hope they would take it and leave. We are still waiting.

When they started incroaching on our land, ruining the hunting, scaring off our FOOD. It let to small skirmishes. When news of this made it to DC. The Official Policy was Titled in these words “The Extermination of the Red Indian in California” They were NOT going to settle for moving us to a reservation. They were bent on wiping us out completely. By this time we UNDERSTOOD war, We had fought off the spanish conquestador already.

It came close, we held them off. Even their mighty gatlin guns couldn’t get us all. I am Living proof.

Today we have ‘rancheria’ instead of reservations, but they’re the same thing.

My tribe alone has come back, we are 2,500 strong at last years count.

WE ARE STILL HERE