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Treaties between Native nations and the U.S. government were often framed as agreements of respect and coexistence. In practice, many were broken, rewritten, or ignored, leaving deep scars still felt today. Visiting historic sites and tribal museums offers a way to understand these events not as distant history, but as lived experiences with lasting consequences. Here are nine broken treaties you can learn about at places dedicated to preserving these stories.
1. Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851)
The Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1851 was meant to establish peace between the United States and multiple Plains tribes, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. It outlined territory boundaries and promised protection from white settlers in exchange for safe passage of travelers heading west. Yet those promises were quickly broken as settlers flooded into Native lands during the gold rush. Historic sites in the Northern Plains, including tribal museums, recount how this treaty marked the start of escalating conflicts. Visitors learn how the U.S. government’s failure to uphold its word contributed to decades of violence, displacement, and eventual military campaigns against Native nations.
2. Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868)
A second Treaty of Fort Laramie was signed in 1868 after years of warfare sparked by U.S. violations of earlier agreements. This treaty granted the Sioux ownership of the Black Hills, a region sacred to their people, along with hunting rights in surrounding areas. The discovery of gold in the Black Hills brought another flood of miners, and the U.S. quickly abandoned its promises. Today, visitors can explore museums and sites that highlight how the breaking of this treaty fueled conflicts like the Great Sioux War. Exhibits often focus on the cultural importance of the Black Hills and the ongoing legal battles over the land.
3. Treaty of New Echota (1835)
The Treaty of New Echota was signed in 1835 by a small group of Cherokee representatives, though the majority of the Cherokee Nation opposed it. It ceded all Cherokee lands east of the Mississippi in exchange for territory in present-day Oklahoma. Despite widespread protest, the U.S. enforced the treaty, leading to the forced removal of thousands of Cherokee people on what became known as the Trail of Tears. Museums and memorial sites along the trail provide powerful accounts of this event, preserving stories of survival, loss, and resilience. They underscore how one disputed treaty led to one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history.
4. Treaty of Greenville (1795)
The Treaty of Greenville was signed after the Northwest Indian War, in which a confederation of Native tribes resisted U.S. expansion into the Ohio Valley. Under the treaty, tribes ceded large portions of present-day Ohio and parts of surrounding states. In return, they were promised goods, recognition of remaining lands, and peace. However, the treaty marked the beginning of a cycle where Native lands were repeatedly reduced through pressure and broken agreements. Museums in the Great Lakes region and historic parks trace how the treaty’s promises dissolved, leaving Native nations with shrinking homelands and limited sovereignty.
5. Treaty of Medicine Lodge (1867)
The Treaty of Medicine Lodge was actually a set of three treaties between the U.S. government and several Plains tribes, including the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache. The treaties were supposed to create reservations in Indian Territory while protecting hunting rights outside those areas. Yet the agreements were not honored, and tribes faced repeated encroachment from settlers and the military. Sites in Oklahoma and tribal museums interpret these events, explaining how the treaty’s failure led to violent clashes and further loss of sovereignty. The story illustrates how treaty promises of peace often masked intentions of control and removal.
6. Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek (1830)
The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was signed in 1830 between the Choctaw Nation and the U.S. government. It was the first treaty carried out under the Indian Removal Act and required the Choctaw to give up their homelands in Mississippi in exchange for land in Indian Territory. Though the treaty promised compensation and support, much of it was never delivered. The forced migration that followed caused immense suffering, with thousands dying from disease and hardship. Today, Choctaw museums and heritage centers preserve this history, offering insight into how broken promises reshaped lives and culture.
7. Treaty of Canandaigua (1794)
The Treaty of Canandaigua was signed between the United States and the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. It recognized Haudenosaunee sovereignty and promised annual goods in exchange for peace. While some provisions, such as annuity payments, continued in a limited way, the broader promises of sovereignty and respect for land were repeatedly violated. Museums in New York and tribal cultural centers highlight the treaty’s significance, showing how its unfulfilled promises shaped relations between the Haudenosaunee and the U.S. Visitors can see original treaty wampum belts, which carry cultural and spiritual importance that persists today.
8. Treaty of Payne’s Landing (1832)
The Treaty of Payne’s Landing involved the Seminole people of Florida and was signed in 1832. It called for the Seminoles to relocate west of the Mississippi if a delegation found the new lands suitable. When the delegation returned under pressure, officials claimed the treaty required full removal, sparking outrage. Many Seminoles refused to leave, leading to the Second Seminole War, one of the longest and costliest conflicts fought by the U.S. against Native tribes. Seminole museums and heritage sites explain how this treaty, widely seen as fraudulent, became a catalyst for resistance and war.
9. Treaty of Point Elliott (1855)
The Treaty of Point Elliott was signed in 1855 between the U.S. government and several tribes of the Pacific Northwest, including the Duwamish, Snohomish, and Suquamish. It secured Native fishing rights and promised reservations, education, and health care. Yet much of what was agreed upon was ignored or poorly implemented, leaving tribes to fight in court for rights that were supposed to be guaranteed. Tribal museums in the region highlight the treaty’s legacy, showing how broken promises still affect Native communities today. The treaty remains central in ongoing legal battles over fishing and resource rights.