Arikara War
Encyclopedia
The Arikara War took place in August of 1823 between the United States
and the Arikara
native American
s near the Missouri River
, in present-day South Dakota
. Arikara warriors had previously attacked a trapping expedition traveling on the river. The United States responded with forces of 230 soldiers, 750 Sioux
, and 50 trappers under the command of U.S. Army Colonel Henry Leavenworth
.
Although brief, the conflict was noted for two reasons. First, it was the first military conflict between the United States and the western native Americans, setting the tone for future encounters between Americans and the Crow and Blackfeet
. Second, Leavenworth did not completely defeat the Arikara. His leniency toward them sparked a great debate between Americans demanding subjugation of the natives and those advocating cohabitation with them.
The Arikara eventually settled with the Mandan and Hidatsa
on the Fort Berthold Reservation
in North Dakota
. Many Arikaras and Crows became Indian scouts during the height of the Sioux Wars
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the Arikara
Arikara
Arikara are a group of Native Americans in North Dakota...
native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
s near the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, in present-day South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Arikara warriors had previously attacked a trapping expedition traveling on the river. The United States responded with forces of 230 soldiers, 750 Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
, and 50 trappers under the command of U.S. Army Colonel Henry Leavenworth
Henry Leavenworth
Henry Leavenworth was an American soldier active in the War of 1812 and early military expeditions against the Plains Indians...
.
Although brief, the conflict was noted for two reasons. First, it was the first military conflict between the United States and the western native Americans, setting the tone for future encounters between Americans and the Crow and Blackfeet
Blackfeet
The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of Native Americans of the Algonquian language family based in Montana, having lived in this area since around 6,500 BC. Many members of the tribe live as part of the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, with population centered in Browning...
. Second, Leavenworth did not completely defeat the Arikara. His leniency toward them sparked a great debate between Americans demanding subjugation of the natives and those advocating cohabitation with them.
The Arikara eventually settled with the Mandan and Hidatsa
Hidatsa
The Hidatsa are a Siouan people, a part of the Three Affiliated Tribes. The Hidatsa's autonym is Hiraacá. According to the tribal tradition, the word hiraacá derives from the word "willow"; however, the etymology is not transparent and the similarity to mirahací ‘willows’ inconclusive...
on the Fort Berthold Reservation
Fort Berthold Reservation
The Fort Berthold Indian Reservation is a U.S. Indian reservation in western North Dakota that is home for the federally recognized Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes...
in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. Many Arikaras and Crows became Indian scouts during the height of the Sioux Wars
Sioux Wars
The Sioux Wars were a series of conflicts between the United States and various subgroups of the Sioux people that occurred in the latter half of the 19th century...
.