er the Americans or the "papered." Many others who had to march fled to Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The "fertile lands, alive with game, lush with forests" turned out to be bone-dry and covered in alkali pits. To the Indians the summer was more than hot, in the winter it was freezing. The Americans decided they needed more land. Again, pressure was brought to bear on the Choctaw. When this happened the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Kickapoo, Seminole, Wyandotte, Lenapi, Mohawk, and others had their reservations shrunk around them. The Choctaw were the first to be removed, the government's power and in fit for land, had removed nearly all of the Indians. The Mississippi Band of the Choctaw had escaped being removed, but had their land stripped down to 500 acres, and in five years none of that land was in Indian hands. Americans moved into Arkansas They ignored the treaties. The Indians who fled to California were being displaced by miners, farmers and ranchers. The discovery of gold g forming around the Indian people, so that expansion from the East was equaled by expansion from the West. ( Brill, The Trail of tears: The Cherokee journey from home.)The Lakota watched their lands, cut to almost a third and then again until nearly all was gone. The gold prospect was a delight to the Americans along the way. Then In the 1880s, came Wovoka, who offered a message of hope and peace. With him he brought the Ghost Dance and all tribes listened to that Siren song. At the peak of this frenzy came Wounded Knee. There, unarmed and innocent men, women, and children were murdered by scared soldiers, who never took the time to find out what this was all about. Then what is ironic is that Medals of Honor were given to these men ... killing without even knowing why ... Not necessary death is honorable then. And then all American children know that "The only good Indian is a dead Indian." George hicks complained "Our property has been stolen and...
