Introduction (Use with discussion in 2.7.9)
In 1877, the U.S. government ordered members of the Nez Perce Nation to move off their lands in western Oregon onto a reservation in Idaho. Instead, about 800 Nez Percés tried to escape to Canada. This group included Hin-mah-too-yah-latkekt, more commonly known as Chief Joseph.
The Nez Percé traveled over 1,500 miles of mountainous terrain in their attempt to escape. They fought many battles with pursuing U.S. troops, only to be halted just 40 miles from the safety of the Canadian border. On October 5, the exhausted survivors surrendered. Chief Joseph's speech has become a famous symbol of the resistance and conquest of Native Americans in the West.
Primary Source
I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohulhulsote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead.
It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are—perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead.
Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.
What can be said about the treatment of Native Americans during this time period?
• How might many Native Americans have felt?
• Do you think you would have agreed with Chief Joseph if you were one of the chiefs to whom he was speaking? Why or why no?
• Be sure to use evidence from your textbook and the speech to support your response. Use the CER format to respond to the prompt.
During this time period, the treatment of Native Americans was marked by displacement, violence, and disregard for their rights and well-being. The U.S. government ordered the Nez Percé Nation to move off their lands and onto a reservation in Idaho, without consideration for their historical ties to the land or their way of life. This policy of forced relocation was a common practice during this time period and was part of a larger effort to assimilate Native Americans into American society and colonize their lands.
Many Native Americans, including the Nez Percé, felt a sense of injustice and frustration during this time period. They were stripped of their lands, forced onto reservations, and subjected to restrictive policies and mistreatment by the U.S. government and its troops. Chief Joseph's speech reflects the hardships and suffering that his people endured, including the deaths of their leaders, the lack of resources, and the loss of their children.
If I were one of the chiefs listening to Chief Joseph's speech, I would have agreed with him. The speech acknowledges the physical and emotional toll of the fighting and acknowledges the bleak conditions faced by the Nez Percé people. Chief Joseph's decision to surrender is a reflection of his concern for the welfare of his people, particularly the vulnerable and suffering, such as the freezing children.
The evidence from the textbook and the speech supports the view that Native Americans were treated unjustly during this time period. The policy of forced relocation and the resultant hardships experienced by the Nez Percé people are clearly documented in the primary source. The speech also highlights the toll of the fighting on the Native American leaders and their recognition of the need to protect their people's well-being.