Klickitat War facts for kids
The Klickitat War was a short but important conflict in 1855. It happened between the United States government and the Klickitat and Cascade Native American groups. This war took place in what is now Washington State.
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The Klickitat War: A Fight for Land
The Klickitat War was a conflict that took place in 1855. It involved the United States and two Native American groups: the Klickitat and the Cascade people. The fighting happened in the area that is now central Washington State.
Who Were the Klickitat and Cascade People?
The Klickitat people lived along the Columbia River. This area is a high plateau in central Washington Territory, which was a US territory at the time. The Cascade people also lived near the Columbia River. Their lands were in the path of new settlers moving into the region.
Why Did the War Happen?
The main reason for the war was land. More and more settlers from the United States wanted to move into the Washington Territory. The governor of Washington Territory at the time was Isaac Stevens. He wanted the Native American tribes to sign agreements called treaties. These treaties would give most of their lands and rights to the US government.
Governor Stevens used different methods to get the tribes to agree. He tried to convince them, but he also used threats and military force. When tribes did not want to sign the treaties, Governor Stevens used soldiers to make them agree. This caused a lot of tension and led to fighting.
Where and How Did the War End?
The Klickitat War was fought in the tall hills and cliffs that look over the Columbia River. These areas were important to the Klickitat and Cascade people. The war ended in 1855. After the conflict, the Klickitat and Cascade people were forced to leave their traditional lands.
