Graham+G


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

My general beleif is theat the measles outbreak of 1847, caused by the eastern settlers coming to Washington, caused the Indians to think that they were being mistreated. They did not understand why they were dying and not the white settlers. They didn't know about how the settlers had a natural immunity from having the disease before. They thought that the doctors were treating the white settlers and just letting the Indians die.(Morris)

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

The people involved were the Cayuse Indians and the Whitman Missionaries. The conflict was that the Indians thought the white doctors were treating other whites and not them. Then they attacked the Whitman Mission and killed 14 people. They also took 47 women and children hostage. This massacre happened November 29, 1847 at the Whitman Mission near Walla Walla Washington.(Lambert)

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

The first factor was the measles outbreak of the late 1840's(Morris). Many Indians were getting sick and dying. It was brought to Oregon Country by the settlers. The second factor was that Marcus Whitman was trying extremely hard to convert the Indians to Christianity. This made the Cayuse unhappy. they thought the strict beliefs were stupid and they should hunt instead of farm. The third and final factor was that the Cayuse thought that the Whtimans were trying to bring too many people to their land and over-run them. Just before the massacre Marcus Whitman went back east and brought 900 people back with him. The Cayuse were very uset.(Lambert)

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

The one factor that is more important is the measles outbreak of the late 1840's. It killed many Cayuse but no white settlers. Then the Cayuse had a big misunderstanding. They thought they were being treated differently then the whites and that was why they were dying. This caused them to become angry and then they attcked the Whitman Mission.([|www.oregonpioneers.com/whitman.htm]) They took 14 innocent lives and took 47 women and children hostage(Lambert). Many Cayuse had already died causing a distress but then more died from the settlers chasing after the murderers.

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

The conflict could have been avoided if the settlers were not so aggressive to convert the Indians and if the Indians didn't react so severly to them dying from the measles. When the settlers arrived they wanted to have the Indians convert to Christianity and have them farm instead of hunt. This angered them a little and the bond between settlers and Indians was stresed. Then the Indians began dying from the measles. They didn't understand that the setllers had a natural immunity and that was why they were not dying. The Cayuse Indians thought they were being mistreated. If these two events didn't happen then there probably would not have been a massacre.(Lambert)

Works Cited
 * What sources of information have you used? **

Flora, Stephanie. "The Whitman Massacre." Oregonpioneers.com. 2004. Oregonpioneers.com. 5/19/09. []

Lambert, Dale A. Washinton: A State of Contrasts. East Wenatchee, Washington: Directa Media Inc., 2008.

Morris, Keiko "Uncomfortable History: The Whitman Massacre." Uncomfortable History: The Whitman Massacre. Seattle Times. Seattle Times, Seattle. 5/20/09. []