What did the United States government’s treaties promise Tribal Nations—and were those promises kept?
- Regions: Central Sound, Olympic Peninsula, South Central, Southeast
- Theme: Treaties to Statehood
- Topics: First Peoples, Tribal Lands, Treaties, and Reservations
Introduction
Treaties, according to Article VI of the United States Constitution, are the “supreme law of the land.” In the mid-1800s, the U.S. government negotiated treaties with Tribal Nations across what is now Washington State. These treaties promised access to traditional fishing, hunting, and gathering grounds in exchange for land cessions, but the consequences of these agreements were far-reaching and continue to shape life today. In this inquiry, students examine why the treaties were made, what was gained and lost, and how those agreements have been interpreted and challenged over time. Students analyze political pressures from American settlers and government officials, the difficulties in communication and the consequences of these difficulties, the strategies and voices of Native leaders, and the evolving role of treaty rights in legal battles such as the Boldt Decision. The inquiry helps students understand sovereignty, justice, and why treaties still matter.
Images
HistoryLink Articles
- South Puget Sound tribes sign Treaty of Medicine Creek on December 26, 1854.
- Native American tribes sign Point Elliott Treaty at Mukilteo on January 22, 1855.
- Makah leaders and Territorial Gov. Stevens sign treaty at Neah Bay on January 31, 1855.
- Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens convenes the First Walla Walla Council with Native American tribes on May 29, 1855
- Artist Gustavus Sohon documents the Walla Walla treaty council in May, 1855
- Northwest Indian canoes return to site of Point Elliott Treaty on July 26, 2007.
- Indian tribes gather in Juanita to re-enact signing of 1855 Point Elliott Treaty on May 27, 1933.
- Seattle pioneers petition against a reservation on the Black River for the Duwamish tribe in 1866.
- Indian Citizenship Act makes all Native Americans U.S. citizens on June 2, 1924.
Tribal History Resources
To make it easier for you to fulfill the new State requirement to incorporate tribal history into K-12 social studies curricula, we have put together a set of resource lists identifying essays on HistoryLink that explore Washington’s tribal history.
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