Chronology of American Indian History

and whites on the other. Whites’ movement west-
ward, therefore, is celebrated as inevitable social
progress, with superior, civilizing whites overtak-
ing the inferior Indian savages that stand in their
way. This thesis will be the dominant historical in-
terpretation of Indian-white relations for the next
50 years.

September 16

The Cherokee Outlet is opened to white
settlement.
In one of the most spectacular land rushes in
American history, 100,000 American homesteaders
frantically stake claims on the 6.5 million acres of
land known as the Cherokee Outlet. Purchased by
the United States from the Cherokee Nation for ap-
proximately $8.5 million, the Outlet is composed
of lands forming what is now the panhandle of
Oklahoma.

1894

Archaeological research proves the
Moundbuilders were eastern Indians.
Working for the Smithsonian Institution, Cyrus
Thomas publishes Report on the Mound Explora-
tions of the Bureau of Ethnology, which outlines the
results of his extensive research into the ancient
burial mounds in eastern North America (see en-
tries for CA. 1000 B.C. TO A.D. 200; CA. 200 B.C.
TO A.D. 400; and CA. 700 TO 1550). Thomas pro-
vides conclusive evidence that the mounds were
constructed by the Indians of the region, thus lay-
ing to rest a wide variety of far-fetched theories
regarding the Moundbuilders’ identity. Since the
late 18th century, non-Indians were largely unable
to believe that the “uncivilized” Indians native to
North America could have acquired the techno-
logical knowledge to build the mounds (see entry
for 1848). Displaying their racist notions of Indian
inferiority, scholars speculated that the mounds
were the creation of various foreign peoples, in-

cluding Phoenicians, Egyptians, Aztec, Danes, and

Hindus.

The Census Bureau reports the Indian

population at an all-time low.

The Bureau of the Census releases Report on Indi-

ans Taxed and Not Taxed in the United States (Except

Alaska) at the Eleventh Census: 1890. The publica-

tion holds that the Indian population has dropped

to less than one-quarter million, down almost 40

percent from census figures for 1850. Although the

figures may be inaccurately low, the 1890 census

seems to confirm the view of many non-Indians

that Indians are a “vanishing race” that will disap-

pear in a matter of generations.

Thomas Edison produces the first film

about Native Americans.

The Sioux Ghost Dance, the first motion picture to

deal primarily with a Native American subject, is

produced by Thomas Edison’s film company. The

company soon follows up its success with two more

films about Indians—Eagle Dance (1898) and Serv-

ing Rations to the Indians (1898). Capitalizing on

whites’ fascination with Plains Indians, these short

movies are privately viewed on Kinescope ma-

chines and run less than a minute. The films offer

many Americans, particularly in the East, their first

glimpse of Indian peoples.

1895

Quanah Parker is removed as a Court of

Indian Offenses judge.

The well-respected Comanche leader Quanah Parker

is stripped of his judgeship on his reservation’s Court

of Indian Offenses (see entry for APRIL 18, 1883).

Over the objection of the reservation agent, Parker

is removed on the order of Commissioner of Indian

Affairs T. J. Morgan. A devout Christian, Morgan

is opposed to Parker serving as a judge because, fol-

lowing tribal tradition, the affluent Comanche has

several wives.