To understand why the United States pursued a treaty on the Northern Plains in 1851, one must look at the great migration then reshaping the American West. The overland trails had become highways for tens of thousands of travelers, and the federal government sought an agreement that would keep those routes open and peaceful.
The tide of emigration
In the 1840s, and especially after the discovery of gold in California in 1848, the number of people crossing the Plains rose sharply. Wagon trains followed the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails along the Platte and North Platte rivers, passing directly through lands used by Plains nations. What had once been a trickle became a steady stream during the travel season.
This traffic brought consequences. Emigrant livestock consumed grass along the rivers, wood grew scarce near the trails, and the movement of so many people disturbed the buffalo on which Plains economies depended. Introduced diseases also took a heavy toll. Tensions and occasional conflicts arose as travelers crossed Native lands.
What the government wanted
Federal officials wanted several things from a treaty. They sought guarantees of safe passage for emigrants, the right to build and maintain roads, and permission to establish military posts to protect the trails. They also hoped to reduce conflict among the Plains nations, which they believed endangered travelers and complicated administration of the region.
In exchange, the United States offered annual payments of goods and promised to recognize specified territories for each nation. The government presented these annuities partly as compensation for the disruption that emigration caused to Native life and resources.
Different hopes at the same table
While the government focused on trails and order, many Native leaders came to the council with their own concerns: the strain that emigration placed on the buffalo, grass, and water, and the desire for peace and fair dealing. Some hoped the agreement would bring stability and reliable support in a time of rapid change.
The treaty that resulted reflected the government priorities most clearly, and later changes in Washington weakened even the promises that had been made. Still, the pressures of overland emigration explain why the United States sought the agreement in the first place. To read further, see our articles on the overland trails and the buffalo and the Plains economy, or explore the 1851 treaty history category.
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