In order to get the Native Americans on specific reserved area, the US government came up with land treaties in which they offered the natives protection. However little value could be placed on the promises in the treaties and great example of this is the Treaty of 1851. The Treaty of 1851 also known as the Treaty of Laramie and was signed by the U.S. government and the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Crow, Shoshone, Assiniboine, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara nations. It was an attempt to protect travelers on the Oregon Trail, which once again was a result of the discovery of gold around 1850 in return for promises of an annuity in the amount of fifty thousand dollars for fifty years .“ In consideration of the treaty stipulations, and for the damages which have or may occur by reason thereof to the Indian nations, parties hereto, and for their maintenance and the improvement of their moral and social customs, the United States bind themselves to deliver to the said Indian nations the sum of fifty thousand dollars per annum for the term of ten years, with the right to continue the same at the discretion of the President of the United States for a period not exceeding five years thereafter, in provisions, merchandise, domestic animals, and agricultural implements, in such proportions as may be deemed best adapted to their condition by the President of the United States, to be distributed in proportion to the population of the aforesaid Indian nations.”(Kappler, Article 7 of the treaty). Even if there was a written agreement, still the Native Americans never received their payment and following the treaty the years were even reduced down from fifty to only fifteen.

In order to insure protection for the gold miners moving in to the west from the Native Americans, the U.S. government signed the Treaty of 1861 with the Natives at Fort Lyon in the southern Plains. The Cheyenne promised to remain in the vicinity of the Arkansas River and not to interfere with the gold-miners along the Smoky Hill Trail from Kansas City to Denver and the U.S. government promised they would protect the Natives as well. “No person not a member of either of the tribes, parties to this convention, shall go upon the reservations or sojourn among the Indians without a license or written permit from the agent or superintendent of Indian affairs, except Government employees or persons connected with the public service.” (Foster, Article 7 of Treaty) However, the peace between the white men and the Natives only lasted until 1864 where the protection of Native Americans was no longer visible. About 200 peaceful men, women and children of the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho were massacred by the Third Colorado Regiment of volunteers and regular troops at Sand Creek; this became known as the Sand Creek Massacre. “The leader of the outrage, John Chivington, fed the bloodlust of his troops, and was fond of the chilling phrase which rationalized the killing of infants: 'Nits make Lice” (Smallbone). Most definitely, the promise of protection was broken almost immediately and it was all due to the land hungry settlers, who completely wanted to demolish Indians all together.

A second Treaty of Fort Laramie was signed in 1868 and included almost the same views as the earlier treaty that was signed in 1851. However, much more land was promised and granted, for example the Lakota was promised a large area in Dakota that included the Blacks Hills. It granted the Lakota a large area in Dakota including the Black Hills, important for hunting. Along with this the also promised the Sioux land and hunting rights in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. However this only lasted until 1872 in which the promise was once again broken as the Northern Pacific Railroad began to build on route that went over the territory of the Sioux. (Goldfield, 551) The violation of the Treaty once again led to another battle. As more gold was discovered, many white settlers swarmed into the Sioux land under the leadership of George Armstrong Custer and began the battle with the Cheyenne and Sioux known as the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. Surprisingly, Custer was defeated by the two tribes. (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/custer.htm) By 1887 Congress even passed the Dawes Act that completely terminated ownership of land and allowed only parcels of land to individual Indians. From promises of having many acres of land to practically having none is what the Native Americans ended up with.

            “ They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never

Kept but one. They promised to take our land, and they took it.” (Goldfield

552, Oglala chief Red Cloud)

Even if they gave them small piece of lands, in the end they could not even let that be theirs and instead took it away completely.

It is vivid that by 1890, nearly every Native American nation was reduced to a reservation. Those that were not introduced to the reservations were pretty much extinct. The tribes who stuck to the reservations faced many issues over land disputes with both the Dawes Act mentioned above that divided the reservations to 160 acres a piece as well as the Curtis Act of 1898 that completely tried to dismiss their governments and get rid of any Native American values. However, they did gain some hopes when Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 took which of which restored native lands, provided better medical services to reservations, and encouraged the development of business opportunities. This sin of the past was not wiped clean, but finally the Native American nation was secured under the laws of the United States. (Wissler) While things did improve for the Natives and they have much more opportunities today, still more than half of the tribes were wiped out by the broken promises that the whites have shown throughout history.

Furthermore, as the manifest destiny began, the Native Americans were moved further into the west and to make this possible the whites made several promises that helped the Natives move peacefully. Their promises of land, protection, and payments never really went through and instead led to numerous disasters. Even today, the U.S. government is making promises to the Natives, and it seems like nothing has really changed.“Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama made several promises to Native Americans during his visit to the Crow Indian reservation in Montana during a campaign stop in May. Will he come through on his promises?” (Stein) Even if promises are made, It is vivid that to the Natives the U.S. government’s promises are primary just a scrap peiece of paper and nothing more.