The Indian Wars

The Indian Wars was a time that saw some interesting actions by the United States government. There were policies used that saw the destruction of resources that had a much longer effect than what was thought. The wars started because the U.S. was expanding westwards, and the Native Americans didn't want to give up their land. The Buffalo soldiers, soldiers of color who fought in the Indian Wars for the U.S. saw the most combat action throughout the war. But did the impact of federal policy on the Native Americans and the Buffalo soldiers match the intent? Let's take a look at some examples.

One policy that the U.S. government used was a policy of total war. The U.S. military killed the buffaloes that the Native Americans depended on for food and clothing. In addition, many natives were put onto reservations. These reservations weren't sufficient enough to provide for the natives. Any Native Americans that rebelled were almost always killed. The battle at Wounded Knee, also known as the Wounded Knee Massacre, was the end of Native American resistance to whites. The Buffalo soldiers were treated harshly as well. They were tasked with tough missions and duties that no one else would do. They saw more combat than any other units during the Indian Wars.

This picture shows the path of the Indian Wars.

The impact of the federal policies did not match the intent at all. The native tribes lost a lot and gained almost nothing from it. The U.S gained land, but it could have been done differently. The Buffalo soldiers were still treated harshly. For these reasons the impact did not match the intent.

Sources:
"American Indians and Buffalo Soldiers, 1850-1900 (Visual)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2015. Web. 19 June 2015.