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Treaty with the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho (Fort Laramie), 1868

The 1868 Fort Laramie treaty with the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho gave them no reservation of their own, only a place on others.

Signed
May 10, 1868
Senate
Ratified

What happened

On May 10, 1868, at Fort Laramie, U.S. commissioners signed a treaty with chiefs and headmen of the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho. Article 2 had the tribes accept for their permanent home some portion of either of two reservations. One was the reservation for the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho set by a treaty at Medicine Lodge Creek. The other was the reservation set for the Brule and other Sioux by the April 29, 1868, Fort Laramie treaty.

The tribes surrendered all right, claim and interest in territory outside those reservations, "except the right to roam and hunt while game shall be found in sufficient quantities to justify the chase." They agreed not to build permanent homes outside the reservations. Within one year they were to attach themselves permanently to one of three agencies: near Medicine Lodge Creek, on the Missouri River near Fort Randall, or the Crow agency near Otter Creek on the Yellowstone. Part of the people could join one agency and part another, as each chose.

The treaty thus gave the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho no reservation of their own. Article 8 required the signatures of at least a majority of the adult male Indians for any cession of reservation land.

Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error

What the sources say, and how this was checked

Well supported by the sources below.

  1. except the right to roam and hunt while game shall be found in sufficient quantities to justify the chaseTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho, 1868
  2. hereby agree to accept for their permanent home some portion of the tract of country set apartTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho, 1868
  3. or to the Crow agency near Otter Creek, on the Yellowstone RiverTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho, 1868
  4. unless executed and signed by at least a majority of all the adult male IndiansTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho, 1868

Research notes. This account rests on the treaty text alone and does not cover later events.

What happened next

Everything the record holds about this land and this treaty, in order: what earlier agreements said, what this one did, and what the United States, the courts and the nations did afterwards.

Who is doing the work today

The nations connected to this treaty come first, then groups returning land and defending treaty rights. Support goes directly to them.

This history belongs to living nations. Start with them:

Working with these nations

Native legal and land defense, nationally

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Sources

  1. digitreaties.org/treaties/treaty/179036083reference work
Research notes

Kappler page; consistent with Wikipedia (pointer) range.

Shapes are approximate and are not legal descriptions of land, title or jurisdiction.