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Nez Perce Argumentative Analysis

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One calm summer night in 1877, several Nez Perce braves, angered by the terms of a treaty that sent them to a reservation, snuck up on a village with the intent of getting revenge. By morning, the braves and their tribe had fled the scene, leaving the dead villagers in their wake. Because of this incident and several other factors, the US was justified in their actions leading up to and during the Nez Perce war. They were trying to contain murderers, take back the land legally owned by the US, and continue the spirit of westward expansion known as Manifest Destiny.

The first reason the US was justified was that they were only trying to contain murderers. According to an article put out by the Idaho government, “ … two young Nez Perce warriors …show more content…

According to History.net, “One shot from a settler’s rifle helped shatter a fragile peace” Settlers had been killing the Nez Perce for as long as they had been in contact. But, the Nez Perce had been killing settlers that had moved in on the land that the US had given them, and the Settlers were only defending themselves and their families from the violence. This is why the US was justified in their actions.

The second reason the US was justified in their actions during the Nez Perce war because when they asked the Nez perce to move, they were living on land that was legally the USA’s. In the treaty that the Nez Perce signed, it says “The said Nez Percé tribe of Indians hereby [give] to the United States all their right, title, and interest in and to the country occupied or claimed by them” The Nez Perce had signed the treaty and were illegally living on the land, so that is why the US was justified in its actions.

Granted, not all of the head chiefs signed the treaty. According to IndianEd.org, “The [Tribes] outside the reservation did not sign [The Treaty]” The Head Chiefs of the tribes that had borders outside the reservation did not sign the tribe because they did not want to give up their land, but, because the tribes identified as Nez Perce, they were still bound under the terms of the agreement. This is why the US was justified in its

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