Treaty of 1868

The Treaty of 1868 was an agreement between the United States and the Lakota Nation, affirming their rights to the Black Hills region in South Dakota. It recognized the Lakota as sovereign and granted them exclusive use of their traditional lands. However, after gold was discovered there, the U.S. government sought to acquire the Black Hills, leading to conflicts and ongoing disputes over the land's ownership and the Lakota’s rights. The treaty remains a foundational document in the history of U.S. Native American relations, symbolizing both sovereignty and the struggles over land and trust.