Ben+F


 * THE WHITMAN MASSACRE

What is your //general// belief about who or what is most responsible for causing the conflict?**

I believe that it was jo lewis's fault for telling that dr. Whitman was killing the indian patients.

**What is the relevant background information (i.e. who, what, when, where)?**

The cayuse indians and whitemen lived in at mission in southeast washington in the 1840's. Their relationship was strained from the beginning of the whitemans arrival, since the built the misson on the cayuse land. Things got worse when more pioneers started showing up.

**What were 3 factors that helped cause the conflict (politics, economics, geography, history)?**

One factor is that a Measles pandemic occured and kill many people, more indians than pioneers. Another factor related to that is that Jo lewis, a mischievious half indian, started telling the cayuse that the docter, Marcus Whitman, was killing the indian patients. The worst factor is that even though jo was known for doing things like this, the cayuse believed him and wanted revenge.

**Explain why one factor is more important than the others.**

I think that Jo telling the indians that lie was more important than the others because i think if he didn't make that up then there would not have been angry cayuse wanting revenge.

**How could the conflict have been avoided?**

I think the conflict could have been avoided two ways. One way, is if Jo hadn't told the lie. Another way, is if the cayuse had known the true cause for the measles killing more of them that the pioneers.


 * What sources of information have you used? **

Dale A. Lambert, 2008,Washington a state of contrasts, book


 * Stephenie Flora, 2004**,[|www.oregonpioneers.com/whitman.htm], website