Cheyenne facts for kids

Cheyenne lodges with buffalo meat drying, 1870

The Cheyenne are a Native American nation who lived on the Great Plains. The Cheyenne nation is made up of two united tribes: the Sotaeo'o and the Tsitsistas. The Tsitsistas name means "Like Hearted People." The name Cheyenne comes from a Sioux word that means "Little Cree."

Before the Cheyenne were moved to reservations, they were friends with the Arapaho and Lakota (Sioux) nations. They are one of the most famous Plains tribes. The Cheyenne nation had ten groups, called bands. These bands lived all over the Great Plains, from southern Colorado to the Black Hills in South Dakota. In the mid-1800s, the bands started to separate. Some stayed near the Black Hills, and others stayed near the Platte Rivers in central Colorado.

Today, the Northern Cheyenne live in southeast Montana on their own reservation. The Southern Cheyenne, along with the Southern Arapaho, live in central Oklahoma. Together, their population is about 20,000 people.

Early Life and Culture

Most of what we know about the Cheyenne starts in the mid-1600s. The Cheyenne began to move from the Great Lakes area to what is now Minnesota and North Dakota. There, they built villages with homes made of logs, soil, and grass. The Cheyenne met the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara nations. They learned many new ways of life from these peoples. In 1804, Lewis and Clark visited a Cheyenne village during their trip through North Dakota.

When the Lakota and Ojibwa nations moved closer to them, the Cheyenne started moving further west. By the mid-1800s, many Cheyenne had moved into Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota. They began living in tipis instead of earth homes. Their main food changed from fish and plants they grew to bison, wild fruits, and wild vegetables.

The Cheyenne had a special way of governing their bands. It was different from other nations because they worked together. Their main government system was called the "Council of Forty-four." It had forty-four chiefs. Each of the ten bands had four chiefs on the council. The other four chiefs were advisors to the rest. This system helped plan wars, make sure laws were followed, and organize special ceremonies.

Important Events in the 1800s

In 1851, the first Cheyenne "territory" was set up in northern Colorado. The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 gave them land where cities like Fort Collins, Denver, and Colorado Springs are now. Soon after 1851, the Cheyenne lost this land. This happened because many settlers came looking for gold.

Dull Knife (Tah-me-la-pash-me), Chief of Northern Cheyennes at Battle of Little Bighorn

During the Indian Wars, the Cheyenne suffered greatly. In 1864, the Sand Creek Massacre happened. The Colorado Militia killed about 600 Cheyenne people. On November 27, 1868, the Battle of Washita River began. United States Army Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer led the 7th U.S. Cavalry to attack a peaceful Cheyenne group. This group, led by Chief Black Kettle, was living legally on reservation land. 103 Cheyenne were killed, mostly women and children.

The Cheyenne had wanted peace with the settlers. But after the Sand Creek Massacre and Battle of Washita River, they became hostile. The Sand Creek Massacre was a very important event in the Indian Wars. When news of it spread, other tribes in the area also got ready for war with the settlers.

The Northern Cheyenne also took part in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This battle happened on June 25, 1876. They fought alongside the Lakota and Arapaho tribes.

How Cheyenne Culture Changed

Over the last four hundred years, the Cheyenne culture has changed a lot. Here are four main stages:

• They first lived in the Eastern Woodlands. They were farmers, growing corn and beans.
• Next, they lived in what is now Minnesota and South Dakota. They kept farming but also started hunting the bison of the Great Plains.
• Then, they became a full Plains horse culture tribe. Horses became very important for hunting and travel.
• Finally, they came to live on reservations.

Fun Facts About the Cheyenne

• In Cheyenne culture, jobs were given based on age and whether you were a boy or a girl.
  • Young boys and old men took care of the horses.
  • Young and middle-aged men were hunters and warriors.
  • Young and middle-aged women took care of everything in the homes. This included building and taking down tipis.
  • Old women watched the children who were too young to work.
• They usually built their villages near rivers. This made it easier for them to trade with others.
• The Cheyenne believed the world had seven main levels.
• The Cheyenne bands would meet for four days each spring for the Sun Dance ceremony.
• Kids enjoyed playing hoop games and lacrosse.
• Cheyenne women wore long deerskin dresses. Men wore breechcloths (a long piece of buckskin that went between the legs and looped over a belt) with leather leggings.
• Cheyenne artists are known for their beautiful quillwork, native beading, pottery, and pipestone carving.
• The Dog Soldiers were the most famous of the Cheyenne warrior societies.

Images for kids

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  Cheyenne hide dress, c. 1920, Gilcrease Museum

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  Cheyenne beaded hide shirt, Woolaroc

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  Cheyenne model tipi, buffalo hide, 1860

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  W. Richard West Jr., former director and co-founder of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian

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  Cheyenne woman photograph by Edward S. Curtis, 1930

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  Portrait of Cheyenne chief Wolf-on-the-Hill by George Catlin, 1832. A band of Cheyenne visited Fort Pierre, South Dakota in 1832 where some were painted by Catlin during a westward expedition.

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  Ledger drawing by Hubble Big Horse showing a battle between Cheyenne warriors and Mexican lancers.

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  Ledger drawing showing a battle between a Cheyenne warrior (right) and an Osage or Pawnee warrior (left).

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  Ledger drawing of a mounted Cheyenne warrior counting coup with lance on a dismounted Crow warrior.

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  Ledger drawing of a Cheyenne warrior with pronghorn horned headdress, symbol of the Crazy Dog Society.

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  Arapaho and Cheyenne 1851 treaty territory. (Area 426 and 477). Area 477 is the reserve established by the Treaty of Fort Wise, on February 18, 1861.

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  Little Coyote (Little Wolf) and Morning Star (Dull Knife), chiefs of the Northern Cheyenne

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  Cheyenne prisoners in Kansas involved in escape northward. From left to right: Tangle Hair, Wild Hog, Strong Left Hand, George Reynolds (interpreter), Old Crow, Noisy Walker, Porcupine, and Blacksmith. All prisoners were released free from charges.

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  White Buffalo, a Northern Cheyenne chief who received the rank of sergeant in the United States Army.

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  Cheyenne courting scenes, by Big Back, before 1882

See also

In Spanish: Cheyenes para niños