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 not?
What evidence from the following speech to support your response. Use the Claim, Evidence and Reasoning format to respond to the prompt.
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.
•
During this time period, the treatment of Native Americans can be described as oppressive and unjust. They were forcibly removed from their lands and forced onto reservations. The U.S. government imposed their authority and disregarded the rights and sovereignty of the Native American tribes.
Many Native Americans, including Chief Joseph and the Nez Percé, likely felt a sense of betrayal, sadness, and frustration. They witnessed the death of their leaders and the suffering of their people. They faced harsh conditions, such as cold weather and lack of basic necessities like blankets and food. Chief Joseph's speech reflects his exhaustion and desperation, as he expresses his desire to find his children and the toll that the ongoing conflict has taken on him and his people.
If I were one of the chiefs to whom Chief Joseph was speaking, I would agree with him. Chief Joseph's speech captures the reality of the Native American experience during this time period – the loss of their leaders, the suffering of their people, and the hopelessness of their situation. The exhaustion and sadness expressed by Chief Joseph resonate with their experiences, making it evident that further resistance would only result in more suffering and ultimately do more harm than good.
Evidence from Chief Joseph's speech includes his statement, "Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohulhulsote is dead. The old men are all dead," which highlights the loss of their leaders and the impact it has had on their community. He also mentions the dire conditions his people face, including the lack of blankets and food, as well as the children freezing to death. These details paint a vivid picture of the hardships the Native Americans endured during this time period. Finally, Chief Joseph's declaration to "fight no more forever" shows his recognition of the futility of further resistance and his desire for peace.