Welcome to the Wild West

Wild West Stories

Deadwood Timeline

1. 🪶Pre-1700sIndigenous Nations in the Black Hills
   The Black Hills, or Paha Sapa, have been sacred to many Indigenous nations for thousands of years, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Kiowa. The region served as a spiritual center, a site for vision quests, and a neutral ground for intertribal gatherings and trade.
2. 🏹1776Lakota Settle in the Black Hills
   The Lakota Sioux, after migrating westward, established a strong presence in the Black Hills. They displaced other tribes and made the region central to their spiritual and cultural life, holding annual Sun Dances and ceremonies honoring the land.
3. 🗺️1803Louisiana Purchase
   The United States acquired the Louisiana Territory, including the Black Hills region, from France. This set the stage for future conflicts as American expansion moved westward, eventually leading to the displacement of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands. The U.S. did not consult the Indigenous nations who lived there.
4. 🤝1851First Treaty of Fort Laramie
   The U.S. government and several Plains tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho, signed the first Treaty of Fort Laramie. The treaty recognized vast territories for each nation, including the Black Hills for the Lakota, but was soon violated by settlers and gold seekers.
5. 📜1868Second Treaty of Fort Laramie
   The United States and Lakota Sioux signed the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, recognizing the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation. This sacred land, known as Paha Sapa, was guaranteed to the Lakota people in perpetuity. The treaty established the Great Sioux Reservation, including all of present-day South Dakota west of the Missouri River.
6. ⛏️1874Custer Expedition Violates Treaty
   Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer's expedition entered the Black Hills in violation of the 1868 treaty. The discovery of gold in French Creek sparked a rush of prospectors, leading to the first major violation of the Fort Laramie Treaty. Custer's report of 'gold from the grass roots down' triggered a stampede of miners into the region, disregarding Lakota sovereignty.
7. 🪖1876Battle of the Rosebud
   Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors, led by Crazy Horse, fought U.S. forces at the Battle of the Rosebud in Montana Territory. This battle, just days before Little Bighorn, was a significant Native victory and demonstrated the strength and unity of the Plains nations defending their lands.
8. ⚔️1876Battle of Little Bighorn
   The Lakota Sioux and their allies, led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, defeated Custer's 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn. This victory, known as the Battle of the Greasy Grass to the Lakota, was a turning point in the Indian Wars, but was followed by increased military pressure and loss of land.
9. 📉1877Black Hills Annexed by U.S.
   Despite treaty guarantees, the U.S. government seized the Black Hills from the Lakota after gold was discovered. The Lakota refused to accept compensation, and the loss of the Black Hills remains a central grievance and subject of legal battles to this day.
10. 🕊️1890Ghost Dance and Wounded Knee
    The Ghost Dance spiritual movement spread among the Lakota as a response to loss of land and culture. The U.S. Army's attempt to suppress the movement led to the Wounded Knee Massacre, where over 250 Lakota men, women, and children were killed. This marked a tragic end to the Indian Wars and had lasting effects on Native communities.