Haley+Westerlund

Whitman Massacre:]☼♫↕♀♪♥§ - H@L3Y W3$T3RLUND

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

I think it was both, because the whitman were the ones who were trying to make the indians change the way of there life style. They really had no reason to do that. Although the indians got very mad about that. Which made then be the ones who started the fighting first. But the pioneers (whitman) could of minded there own bussiness, but because they didnt, thats all how the whitman massacre started. :|

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

It started on November 29th 1847, and took place in The united states. There was a small disease spreading at the time, killing many people. The war was the indians and whites. tho, Whitman family was sopose operate the W.Mission in southeastern Washington since 1837. There could have been many ways to prevent the whitman massacre.

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

The measle outbreak of of 1847, caused an eruption of anger between the Cayuse indians and the pioneers when they realized that more white patients were recovering then that of the indian patients. The real reason however, was due to measle outbreaks in Europe and America in past times so the pioneers had somewhat of an immunity to the disease. Marcus Whitman returned with 900 pioneers who would settle in the Oregon Country. It appeared to the indians that the missionaries were encouraging more whites to come and displace the indians. The pioneers wanted the indians to show that their life style was wrong. . The indians however felt no obligation to practice this religion.

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

Dr. Whitman did all he could with each and every patient, it was just that the pioneers gave Europe naturaly to the disease. The Natives were realizing that more whites were recovering then their own kin. This caused them to believe that he was poisoning the tribes as part of a plot to rid the area of the Natives. Indian law states that if a medicine man, such as Dr. Whitman, abuses his power then he must be slain.

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

If the indians didnt start the attack, there would of never been no war. Although, the whitman was trying to make the indians changing their way of life. They should of just minded their own business and not say anything if thet really did not want a war. Thats how it all started. Indians and whites did not get along.


 * What sources of information have you used? **

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