Medicine Lodge Treaty

The Medicine Lodge Treaty, signed in 1867, was an agreement between the U.S. government and several Native American tribes of the Great Plains. It aimed to establish peace and regulate land use by relocating tribes to designated reservations, often in exchange for promises of protection, supplies, and hunting rights. However, the treaties were frequently broken or ignored, leading to conflicts and hardships for the tribes. The agreement significantly altered traditional ways of life, as Native Americans were forced to settle on smaller lands, impacting their culture and sovereignty.