Katelyn

My general belief about the conflict is that if you think about it, than it could be both the Europeans and the Indians. The Europeans brought the measels back with them on the wagon trains. The starting point that did lead towards violence was the measels. The measels attacked both the Indians and the Whites. The Indians were hit very hard, and led to many, many deaths. Both the whites, and the Indians were brought to Dr. Whitman to be treated. The reason of why the Indians were attacked so hard and so many more died than the Whites was because the measels were already exposed to the American and European for centuries,so they had bulit an immunity to it. Therefore, the Indians had thought that Dr. Whitman was purposley killing the Indians.
 * What is your //general// belief about who or what is most responsible for causing the conflict?**


 * What is the relevant background information (what, when, where)?**

The Whitman Massacre took place on November 29,1847 in Walla, Walla, Washington. The conflict was between the Cayuse Indians and the Europeans. What happened was that the Europeans brought back the measels on the wagon train and it hit the Indians very very hard. It killed lots but not as many whites. Therefore, Dr. Whitman was carring for all the sick people. When more and more Indians had died and not as many whites, the Indians thought Dr. Whitman was purpolsy killing the Indians instead of treating for them.

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

Three factors that helped cause the Whitman Massacre were probally when Dr. Whitman led the wagon trains and brought the measels, also when the Europeans were trying to convert the Cayuse Indians to a different religon. I think that the biggest cause of the conflict was probally when the wagon trains brought back the measels. I think that because the Indians were hit very badly and they had thought that Dr. Whtiman was purpolsy killing them and than they attacked. Another reason would be when the Europeans were trying to convert the Indians to a differetn religon. All of these factors led to a big conflict that didn't turn out very pretty.

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

I think that when the Europeans had brought back the measels on the wagon train was really bad. I think this because Dr. Whitman was the one leading the wagon trains and he is the one that cared for all the sick, so they thought that he was purposly killing the Cayuse Indians. What really happened if you think about it, it was just a big misunderstanding. The Indians had thought that Dr. Whitman was purposly killing them but really he wasn't. The Indians hadn't been exposed to the measels yet so they were hit very very hard, they werent immuned to the disease. On another hand, the Europeans were so not as many of them died.

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

I think that the conflict could of easily been avoided. How they could of done this is by maybe asking questions, or having Dr. Whitman explain the real reason of why the Indians were dieing. Also, they could not of tried to convert the Indians to the Europeans religon.

Lambert, Dale and Clark, Dustin. Washington a state of contrast. United States of America. Directed Media Inc, 2008
 * What sources of information have you used? **

Terry, John. “Washington and Oregon were one.” The Oregonian. Sunday April 26,2009 May 22, 2009. [|www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/john-terry/index/ssf?/base/name/1240460718285520.xm1andco11=7] “New Perspectives on the West.” PBS- The West- Marcus Whitman.org. 2001. The West Film Project. May 22,2009. [|www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s-2/whitman.htm] “Whitman Massacre.” Britannica Encyclopedia. June 01,2009. Encyclopedia, Britannica online. June 01, 2009. []


 * Whitman Massacre **. (2009). In //Encyclopædia Britannica//. Retrieved June 01, 2009, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: []