The Military Conquest of the Prairie is a study on the final wars on the prairie from the Native American perspective. When the reservation system took hold about one-third of tribes stayed permanently there, one-third during the harsh winter months, and the last third remained on what the government termed unceded territory, which Native Americans had the right to occupy by treaty. For the Federal government it was completely unacceptable that some Indians refused to submit to its authority. Both the Red River war (1874-75) in the south and the great Sioux war (1876-77) in the north were the direct result of Federal violation of treaties and agreements. At issue was the one-sided violence against free roaming tribes that were trying to maintain their old way of life, at the heart of which was avoidance on intermingling with white men. Contrary to the expectations of the government, and indeed to most historical accounts, the Native Americans were winning on the battlefields with clear conceptions of strategy and tactics. They only laid down their arms when their reservation was secured on their homeland, thus providing their preferred living space and enabling them to continue their way of life in security. But white man perfidy and governmental double-cross were the order of the day. The Federal government found it intolerable that what it termed savages' should be able to determine their own future. Vicious attacks were initiated in order to stamp out tribalism, resulting in driving the US aboriginal population almost to extinction. Analysis of these events is discussed in light of the passing of the Dawes Act in 1887 that provided for breaking up the reservations to the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 that gave a semblance of justice to Native Americans.

The Spanish-American War marked the emergence of the United States as an imperial power. It was when the United States first landed troops overseas and established governments of occupation in the Philippines, Cuba, and other formerly Spanish colonies. But such actions to extend U.S. sovereignty abroad, argues Katharine Bjork, had a precedent in earlier relations with Native nations at home. In Prairie Imperialists, Bjork traces the arc of American expansion by showing how the Army's conquests of what its soldiers called "Indian Country" generated a repertoire of actions and understandings that structured encounters with the racial others of America's new island territories following the War of 1898. Prairie Imperialists follows the colonial careers of three Army officers from the domestic frontier to overseas posts in Cuba and the Philippines. The men profiled—Hugh Lenox Scott, Robert Lee Bullard, and John J. Pershing—internalized ways of behaving in Indian Country that shaped their approach to later colonial appointments abroad. Scott's ethnographic knowledge and experience with Native Americans were valorized as an asset for colonial service; Bullard and Pershing, who had commanded African American troops, were regarded as particularly suited for roles in the pacification and administration of colonial peoples overseas. After returning to the mainland, these three men played prominent roles in the "Punitive Expedition" President Woodrow Wilson sent across the southern border in 1916, during which Mexico figured as the next iteration of "Indian Country." With rich biographical detail and ambitious historical scope, Prairie Imperialists makes fundamental connections between American colonialism and the racial dimensions of domestic political and social life—during peacetime and while at war. Ultimately, Bjork contends, the concept of "Indian Country" has served as the guiding force of American imperial expansion and nation building for the past two and a half centuries and endures to this day.

This book is designed for all groups of people for personal devotion, and group bible study. If you are in the ministry, this book will help you through your struggle.

For hundreds of years black-tailed prairie dogs inhabited the Great Plains by the millions, improving the grazing for bison and pronghorn antelope, digging escape holes and homes for burrowing owls and rodents, and serving as prey for badgers, coyotes, hawks, and bobcats. This book by the renowned naturalist and writer Paul A. Johnsgard tells the complex biological and environmental story of the western Great Plains under the prairie dog?s reign?and then under a brief but devastating century of human dominion. ø An indispensable and highly readable introduction to the ecosystem of the shortgrass prairie, Prairie Dog Empire describes in clear and detailed terms the habitat and habits of black-tailed prairie dogs; their subsistence, seasonal behavior, and the makeup of their vast colonies; and the ways in which their ?towns? transform the surrounding terrain?for better or worse. Johnsgard recounts how this terrain was in turn transformed over the past century by the destruction of prairie dogs and their grassland habitats, together with the removal of the bison and their replacement with domestic livestock. A disturbing look at profound ecological alterations in the environment, this book also offers a rare and invaluable close-up view of the rich history and threatened future of the creature once considered the ?keystone? species of the western plains. ø Included are maps, drawings, and listings of more than two hundred natural grassland preserves where many of the region?s native plants and animals may still be seen and studied.

Prairie City is the social history of a representative midwestern town - a composite of several Oklahoma small towns. Beginning with the "one flashing moment" of the 1889 land run, which opened the "Oklahoma Lands" for white settlement, Angie Debo depicts the struggles of the settlers on the vast prairie to build a community despite seasons of drought, prairie fire, and destitution. Solidly based on historical research, Prairie City chronicles the arrival of the railroad, the growth of political parties and educational institutions, KKK uprisings, the oil boom, the Depression and the New Deal, and the effects of two world wars on small-town America.

Follow the Tinchebray Congregation of intrepid priest-professors initiating with their formation in nineteenth century France to their arrival to Central Alberta in 1904 where they evangelized, organized parishes, constructed churches, founded Roman Catholic convents and schools over a period of twenty years. Witness the challenges they faced adjusting their ministry from one primarily serving a French-speaking laity to one serving a growing multilingual church using English as the language of communication. Feel their disappointment when they were squeezed out of their Central Alberta missions in 1924 only four years after the appointment of Henry J. O’Leary as Archbishop of Edmonton, their new diocesan superior. Could there have been a different ending to their saga?

The story of Texas is the story of struggle and triumph in a land of extremes. It is a story of drought and flood, invasion and war, boom and bust, and of the myriad peoples who, over centuries of conflict, gave rise to a place that has helped shape the identity of the United States and the destiny of the world. “I couldn’t believe Texas was real,” the painter Georgia O’Keeffe remembered of her first encounter with the Lone Star State. It was, for her, “the same big wonderful thing that oceans and the highest mountains are.” Big Wonderful Thing invites us to walk in the footsteps of ancient as well as modern people along the path of Texas’s evolution. Blending action and atmosphere with impeccable research, New York Times best-selling author Stephen Harrigan brings to life with novelistic immediacy the generations of driven men and women who shaped Texas, including Spanish explorers, American filibusters, Comanche warriors, wildcatters, Tejano activists, and spellbinding artists—all of them taking their part in the creation of a place that became not just a nation, not just a state, but an indelible idea. Written in fast-paced prose, rich with personal observation and a passionate sense of place, Big Wonderful Thing calls to mind the literary spirit of Robert Hughes writing about Australia or Shelby Foote about the Civil War. Like those volumes it is a big book about a big subject, a book that dares to tell the whole glorious, gruesome, epically sprawling story of Texas.

'Beyond Blue Earth to the French Prairie, Volume I' is more than a historical account - it's a riveting revival of unsung heroes, poignant tales, and pioneering spirits that painstakingly sculpted the America we inhabit today. This volume invites you on an odyssey through time, reconstructing the past in vivid, heartrending detail with every page turned. This meticulously woven narrative chronicles the lives of Lorenz's ancestors, immortalizing their stories and the indelible marks they left on the tapestry of history. Delve into the heart of this mesmerizing saga, which breathes new life into tales of remarkable yet often overlooked individuals. The resilient spirits of these figures intricately wove the rich tapestry of North American history. Each character, from every corner of the Earth, brings a unique thread to this elaborate narrative, producing a vibrant pattern of struggle, triumph, and human endurance. Stand alongside Frank Mahowald, a symbol of courage and determination, as he withstands the violent roar of Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. Feel the echoes of fear and hope reverberate through Frank Lorentz as he bids farewell to his homeland of Neustadtl, Bohemia, traveling in the dim-lit steerage of a ship destined for Blue Earth County, Minnesota. His quest for a new life illuminates the immigrant experience - a journey of heartache, hope, and the inexorable pull of new beginnings. Live vicariously through the resilience of Jean Baptiste Cyr dit Croc, a figure who bore the profound trauma of the Great Acadian Expulsion yet persevered, leaving an indelible mark on our shared history. Share in the feverish euphoria of John Cyr as he strikes gold in the chaotic frenzy of Deadwood, a testament to the allure and madness of fortune's promise. Journey with Eloi Cyr, a daring adventurer who fearlessly treks across the untamed expanse of the Wild West. From the rolling rivers of the Madawaska to the quaint settlements of Missoula's Frenchtown, his tales of battle, survival, and adaptation will leave you awestruck. Become engrossed in the story of John F. Lorenz, a humble quarry blacksmith from Bird Island, Minnesota, whose ambition and cunning propelled him to the esteemed position of Mayor. Witness the agricultural prowess of Jacques Bourgeois as he sows the seeds of Beaubassin, his legacy leaving a lasting impact on the land and its people. Admire the audacious spirit of Pierre Sire, a skilled gunsmith hailing from Touraine, who embraced the unknown and charted a course to the New World of Acadia. Accompany John Mahowald on his quest from the familiar fields of Luxembourg to the promise of America. His voyage encapsulates the hopes, dreams, and sacrifices of countless others who yearned for a brighter future. In the unforgiving wilderness of New Market, Minnesota, observe the grit and determination of Matthias Mahowald as he constructs a log cabin - a humble yet profound symbol of a family's place on the frontier. Stand united with the proud Dakota Nation, fierce guardians of the bountiful North American plains, as they valiantly fight to protect their ancestral lands against an advancing tide of settlers. Their struggle is a narrative of a brave people holding firm against the onslaught of a new era. 'Beyond Blue Earth to the French Prairie, Volume I' is not merely a book; it's a time portal that whisks you into a past laden with courage, perseverance, and an enduring spirit of discovery. Through these immersive narratives, you'll discover a mirror reflecting our collective spirit. These tales serve as a testament to our past, and through their lessons, they provide a guiding light to our future. The past is never truly behind us; it echoes in our present and resounds in our future. This volume brings those echoes to life, illuminating the legacy of those whose footprints may have faded but whose impacts continue to shape the world we know today.

This Guide to the Study and Use of Military History is designed to foster an appreciation of the value of military history and explain its uses and the resources available for its study. It is not a work to be read and lightly tossed aside, but one the career soldier should read again or use as a reference at those times during his career when necessity or leisure turns him to the contemplation of the military past.