"...but of lasting peace, let them kill, skin and sell until the buffaloes are exterminated.

For thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, American Indians thrived in what is now the American West. Many tribes depended on bison, or buffalo, for food, clothing, shelter, trade, and much more. When white settlers set their sights on this land, they slaughtered bison herds for sport, profit from the hides, and to weaken American Indian resistance. Before long, cattle grazing on the plains replaced the sight of bison. American Indians adapted to life on the reservations, and some tribes turned to raising cattle to feed their people.

Deer Lodge, Montana · United States