In the northwestern area of the U.S. which is now Oregon, Washington, and Idaho there was a great chief. This chief over time won the respect of many whites on the East coast. He led many other Indians towards freedom in Canada 1,400 miles away. On their way they had to fight and avoid the army. This great chief was Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce.
Joseph was born in 1840 in Wallowa Valley in present day Oregon. His real name was not Joseph. Joseph was his Christian name. His real name was Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, which means Thunder Rolling down from the Mountains. Joseph had a younger brother only a couple years younger than him. His brothers name was Ollokot. Joseph and Ollokot spent much of their childhood on a Christian missionary. The Nez Perce was a friendly tribe and made their first contact with whites in 1805 with Lewis and Clark. The Nez Perce didn’t mind the whites as long as there was peace between them.Joseph eventually died at Collville Reservation, in the Northeastern part of Washington, on September 21, 1904 from a broken heart. However he didn’t die until after long hard fight.
Old Joseph, Chief Joseph’s Father, signed a treaty with the United States saying that they can keep their traditional homeland. That land included Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. In 1863 near Clearwater gold was discovered. The whites started to move into the Nez Perce’s homeland. So the government made another treaty reducing the Nez Perce’s homeland. Old Joseph refused to sign the treaty. In 1871 Old Joseph died. In that same year Joseph the Younger got voted into being chief.
Chief Joseph thought that since Old Joseph didn’t sign the treaty that he wasn’t bound to it. In 1863 the government then started to remove the whites but after a few years the government reversed itself. General Howard then threatened a cavalry attack. Scared for his people Chief Joseph, Looking Glass, Eagle From the Light, White Bird, and Toohoolzote moved their bands towards the Lapwai Reservation. These 5 chiefs were known as the “non-treaty” chiefs because they wouldn’t sign any treaties. After a while Chief Joseph became the non-treaty chiefs spokesperson. The 5 bands consisted of about 700 men, women, and children. One of Joseph’s speeches about the whites was: “All men were made by the same Great Spirit. They are all brothers. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.” Since Chief Joseph didn't want to go to war with the army he tried to persuade the other chiefs not to go to war . Eventually he succeeded.
Explanation: Pretty much he went around to wars fighting and then won most of the battles he led.
