Download Section 2 Treaty of Medicine Lodge Creek

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Date
In-Depth Resources: Unit 5
CHAPTER 16
Section 2 The U.S. Army Returns
Primary Source
16.2B
Pupil’s Edition,
pp. 349 –350
Treaty of Medicine Lodge Creek
A Treaty Broken
Copyright © Lone Star Publishing J. V.
In October 1867 Comanche and Kiowa leaders went to Medicine Lodge Creek, Kansas, to meet with representatives
of the U.S. government in an attempt to achieve peace. However, this treaty, like most others, was soon violated.
Article 1. From this day forward all war between
the parties to this agreement shall forever cease. . . .
If bad men among the whites . . . shall commit any
wrong upon the persons or property of the Indians,
the Unites States will upon proof made to the agent
and forwarded to the commissioner of Indian affairs
at Washington . . . cause the offender to be arrested
and punished according to the laws of the United
States, and also reimburse1 the injured person for the
loss sustained.
If bad men among the Indians shall commit a
wrong . . . tribes here named solemnly agree that they
will . . . deliver up the wrongdoer2 to the United States,
to be tried and punished according to its laws. . . .
Article 2. The United States agrees that (the)
following district or county . . . [between the Washita
and Red Rivers] is hereby set apart for the absolute
and undisturbed use and occupation of the tribes
herein named, . . . and the United States now solemnly
agrees that no person except those herein authorized . . .
shall ever be permitted to pass over, settle upon, or
reside in the territory described. . . .
Article 4. The United States agrees at its own
proper expense to construct . . . [an] agency building
for the residence of the agent . . . and five other buildings, for a carpenter, farmer, blacksmith, miller and
engineer, . . . [and] also a school house or mission
building. . . .
Article 6. If any individual belonging to said
tribes of Indians, . . . being the head of a family, shall
desire to commence3 farming he shall have the privilege to select . . . a tract of land within said reservation, not exceeding three hundred and twenty acres in
extent . . . shall cease to be held in common, but . . .
occupied and held in exclusive possession of the person selecting it. . . .
Article 7. In order to insure the civilization of the
tribes entering into this treaty the necessity of education
is admitted especially by such of them as are or may
be settled on said agricultural reservation; and they
therefore pledge themselves to compel4 their children,
male and female, between the ages of six and sixteen
years, to attend school. . . .
Article 11. . . . The tribes . . . will relinquish5 all
right to occupy permanently the territory outside their
reservation . . . and they further expressly agree—
First. That they will withdraw all opposition to the
construction of the railroad. . . . Second. That they
will permit the peaceable construction of any railroad
not passing over their reservation. . . . Third. That
they will not attack any persons at home, nor traveling, nor molest or disturb wagon trains, coaches,
mules or cattle belonging to the people of the United
States. . . . Sixth. . . . They will not, in the future,
object to the construction of railroads, wagon roads,
mail stations, or other works of utility or necessity
which may be ordered or permitted by the laws of the
United States.
1 reimburse repay
2 wrongdoer criminal
3 commence begin
4 compel force
5 relinquish give up
Review Questions
1. Who had the power to try and punish Native
Americans and Anglos for crimes?
2. How could reservation land become private
property?
Critical Thinking
3. Making Inferences Why do you think the
government insisted that Native American
children go to school?
4. Analyzing Cause and Effect Why do you
think railroads were emphasized so heavily in
the treaty?
War on the Frontier ✯ 11