- settlers were encouraged by the government to move westwards to open up the rest of the continent, partly because of their belief in manifest destiny . this was a direct threat to the native americans. the government wanted to assimilate them into white settler society and therefore destroy their customs and culture. native americans suffered from the following :

the passing of the 1830 removal act, moving tribes from alabama, florida, georgia, tennessee and virginia onto the plains in oklahoma
the movement of white men across the plains because of the discovery of gold
the hunting of buffalo, which caused native americans to eventually become dependent upon the government providing food
the building of railroads across the plains, adding to the destruction of the buffalo herds.

- as a result, and unable to resist the advance of white settlers, the native americans began to hand over land.

	Created by izzy smith about 7 years ago

notes on the position of native americans in 1865 and the plains wars for ocr a level history spec.