Elizabeth's+Nez+Perce+Retreat+Page


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

I believe that the US government is most responsible for causing the conflict. If the government hadn't gotten greedy and wanted the gold in Willapa valley for themselves and the white settlers so badly, or at least kept it to themselves and steamed about it in private instead of taking the Nez Perce's land, then the Nez Perce warriors wouldn't have killed those settlers in 1877.

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

The Nez Perce indians were a peaceful tribe, and their land stretched from Idaho to Washington. The specific tribe involved was the Willapa Valley tribe, which was led by Chief Joseph. Gold had been discovered in Willapa Valley in 1875, so the government told the Nez Perce to leave their land and move to a different reservation. This angered a group of twenty Nez Perce warriors, who staged a raid and killed four settlers in June of 1877. Chief Joseph was enraged at this, but understood their anger and knew that they had to leave the country. They then staged one of the most genius retreats in military history, fighting off 2000 american soldiers with 700 people, 200 of which were soldiers. The Nez Perce managed to reach Montana before they were stopped, and Chief Joseph made a famous speech which earned him fame as a warrior leader.

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

Three factors that caused this conflict were the US government removing reservation status on Willapa Valley, the killing of four settlers in 1877, and the discovery of gold in Willapa Valley.

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

The discovery of gold in Willapa Valley is the most important factor because it happened first. The US government would not have taken the Nez Perce's land if not for the gold, and the Nez Perce warriors would not have killed settlers if they had not lost their land.

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

This conflict could have been avoided if the US government had asked for a partnership with the Nez Perce in mining the gold of Willapa Valley.


 * What sources of information have you used? **

Lambert, Dale. Washington: __A state of Contrasts.__ Whenatchee, Washington: Directed Media Inc., 2008 pages 220, 221

author unknown. "The Nez Perce War". [|US History.com]. Website date unknown. Sponsor unknown. 5/22. [|www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1549.html]

Author unknown. "American Native: Chief Joseph - Nez Perce". [|juntosociety.com]. Website date unknown. Sponsor name unknown. 5/26/09. [|www.juntosociety.com/native/nezperce.htm]