mackenzie_x


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

I believe that the Pioneers are responsible for causing the conflict because the Indians would not have had to defend their homeland if the pioneers hadn't of moved in. And the Indians were blamed when they thought that Marcus Whitman was killing them. In truth, they just didn't understand the white men really well, so they couldn't trust them. But, the settlers came in and one thing led to another, such as the WHITMAN MASACRE!!!! (Encyclopedia Britainica>__Whitmanmassacre__ )

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

In 1836, a small party of missionaries came to the west to spread gospel among indians. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman led the party along with; Henry and Eliza Spalding, William Gray, and Joe Lewis. The Nez Pierce Indians, Cayuse, Umatilla and the Flathead had requested to be taught the white mans religion as so to gain more power over nature and man. (Washington; A State of Contrasts)

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

There were four factors that caused the whitman massacre; the oncoming rush of white settlers, measles that the indians had no immunity for, the indians poor trade exchanging, and of a persistant convincer. The indians had been worried about the hudson bay fur company for some time, and when the settlers came in, that really set their hairs on end; what would they do for land if the pioneers farmed on it all? Another factor was the whitmans disease that was brought in; the measles. In the east, measles was a disease that they had a built in immunity for. However, this sickness was new to the indians, so while Marcus whitman treated all sick people, it was only the indians that died from it. Then there was the poor trade exchanging. So the indians would give the missionaries food, blankets, and baskets for WORK! It was an utter disgrace for them because farming, weaving and cooking was thought to be womans work. The last factor of the Whitman Massacre was a man named Joe Lewis, bitter from what he thought to be maltreatment that he had received in the East. Hoping to create a situation in which he could ransack the Whitman Mission, he told the Cayuse that Dr. Whitman, who was attempting to save them from a measles was, in fact, not going to save them but instead was trying poisoning them. Indians often killed their medicine man, or shaman, if patients died. (Roger Trout> __Walla Walla Massacre__ :what really happened?)

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

I think that the most important factor of the massacre was Joe Lewis. If he hadn't of convinced the Cayuse and Umatilla that Marcus Whitman was trying to kill them, then this probably would have never of happened. Another equally important factor is the measles. Brought by the pioneers, the disease was killing the unimmune Indians. These are very imortant causes for the whitman massacre. (Joe Riley>__Massacre at Walla Walla__)

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

The conflict could have been avoided if the white men would have traded with the indians better. Since the settlers were in Indian territory, shouldn't they have respected Indian Law? Wouldn't we have wanted them to do the same if they had come over to New England? If they settlers had never set up Waiilatpu Mission, the mission might still be in use, and the descendents of the whitmans would be alive. (enclyclopedia Britainica: __whitman massacre__)


 * What sources of information have you used? **

I have used: [] (internet site) [] (internet encyclopedia) Washington: A state of Contrasts (social studies text book) [] (website)