The Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho

This chapter details the events that led up to the conflict known as the so-called "Great Sioux War of 1876," emphasizing the roles of the Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho. It begins by exploring the pre-contact world of the Great Plains from the Indian perspective, highlighting the legacy of the coalition that fought against invasion. The fundamental differences between the Plains Indians and the United States were rooted in their international policies. From the introduction of the horse until the wars with whites, every Indian nation honored and accepted the unwritten laws of the warrior. The complete disregard for Indians and their customary international laws proved that the United States had neither the desire nor the capability for fairly dealing with the Cheyenne. The Great Cheyenne War of 1876 began, but it was just the second coming of familiar foes in a conflict that actually began 20 years earlier.