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70-556: The Osage Nation , a Native American tribe in the United States, is the source of most other terms containing the word "osage". Osage can also refer to: Osage is a part of many placenames, including: Osage Nation The term "Osage" is a French version of the tribe's name, which can be roughly translated as "calm water". The Osage people refer to themselves in their Dhegihan Siouan language as ( 𐓏𐒰𐓓𐒰𐓓𐒷 ‎ , Wazhazhe , 'Middle Waters'). By

140-697: A 50 percent decline in the Osage population. This resulted from the failure of the U.S. government to provide adequate medical supplies, food and clothing. The people suffered greatly during the winters. While the government failed to supply them, outlaws often smuggled whiskey to the Osage and the Pawnee. In 1879, an Osage delegation went to Washington, D.C., and gained agreement to have all their annuities paid in cash; they hoped to avoid being continually shortchanged in supplies, or by being given supplies of inferior quality - spoiled food and inappropriate goods. They were

210-439: A competition between humans and non-humans, but rather a struggle between human communities. Wakonda was viewed as "the mysterious life-force that pervades the sun", "moon", "earth", "and the stars", as well as the embodiment of order on Earth, which was seen as a place where chaos mostly won. Efforts for survival were the responsibility of the people and not of Wakonda, although they might ask Wakonda for help. Considering life

280-437: A deal which enabled them to retain communal mineral rights on the reservation lands. These were later found to have large quantities of crude oil , and tribal members benefited from royalty revenues from oil development and production. The government leased lands on their behalf for oil development; the companies/government sent the Osage members royalties that, by the 1920s, had dramatically increased their wealth. In 1923 alone,

350-589: A half, and others taller than seven feet [198, 213 cm]." The missionary Isaac McCoy described the Osage as an "uncommonly fierce, courageous, warlike nation" and said they were the "finest looking Indians I have ever seen in the West". In the Ohio Valley, the Osage originally lived among speakers of the same Dhegihan language stock, such as the Kansa , Ponca , Omaha , and Quapaw . Researchers believe that

420-701: A large portion of west-central and central Missouri, where it drains northwest areas of the Ozark Plateau . The river flows generally easterly, then northeasterly for the final 80 miles (130 km) where it joins the Missouri River. It is impounded in two major locations. Most of the river has been converted into a chain of two reservoirs, the Harry S. Truman Reservoir and the Lake of the Ozarks . The Osage

490-531: A period of six to nine months out of the year. Prior to the construction of the Bagnell Dam , the main method of crossing the river was the Bagnell Ferry, which began operation in 1882, speared by Samuel Umpsted as the contractor. Several ferry accidents, including sinking, resulted in the deaths of several customers. The ferry declined in operation towards 1940, years after the dam had finished. In

560-466: A struggle among human groups, they viewed warfare as necessary for self-preservation. The people's survival was dependent on their ability to defend themselves. Over time, the Osage developed clan and kinship systems that mirrored the cosmos as they saw it. Osage clans were typically named after elements of their world: animals, plants and weather phenomenon such as storms. This was a symbolic representation. Each clan had its own responsibilities within

630-758: A visit to Versailles , Château de Marly and Fontainebleau . They hunted with Louis XV in the royal forest and saw an opera. During the French and Indian War (the North American front of the Seven Years' War ), France was defeated by Great Britain and in 1763 ceded control over their lands east of the River Mississippi to the British Crown . The French Crown made a separate deal with Spain, which took nominal control of much of

700-715: Is bordered by the Cherokee Nation to the east, the Muscogee Nation and the Pawnee Nation to the south, and the Kaw Nation and Oklahoma proper to the west. The Osage are descendants of cultures of Indigenous peoples who had been in North America for thousands of years. Studies of their traditions and language show that they were part of a group of Dhegihan-Siouan speaking people who lived in

770-566: Is formed in southwestern Missouri, approximately 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Nevada on the Bates - Vernon County line, by the confluence of the Marais des Cygnes and Little Osage Rivers ; the Marais des Cygnes is sometimes counted as part of the river, placing its headwaters in eastern Kansas and bringing its total length to over 500 miles (800 km). The combined stream flows east past

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840-502: Is named for the Osage Nation , the historic indigenous people who dominated this region at the time when the first European settlers arrived. The river presented significant navigation difficulties for early settlers because of its fluctuating water levels, as well as the presence of shallow pools and sand bars caused by its tight meandering course through the hills. The Missouri Legislature attempted as early as 1839 to deepen

910-422: Is observed around them that was created by a supreme life force known as Wah'Kon-Tah or Wakonda . Everything created has the spirit of Wakonda within it, from trees, plants, and the sky to animals and human beings. They believe there are two main divisions to life, consisting of the sky and earth. Life is created in the sky, and descends to the earth in material form. The sky is viewed as masculine in nature and

980-576: The Comanche , raided the Osage and others. In 1836, the Osage prohibited the Kickapoo from entering their Missouri reservation, pushing them back to ceded lands in Illinois. Between the first treaty with the U.S. and 1825, the Osage ceded their traditional lands across what are now Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma in the treaties of 1818 and 1825. In exchange, they were to receive reservation lands to

1050-692: The Illinois Country west of the great river. By the late 18th century, the Osage did extensive business with the French Creole fur trader René Auguste Chouteau , who was based in St. Louis . St. Louis was part of territory under nominal Spanish control after the Seven Years' War, but was dominated by French colonists. They were the de facto European power in St. Louis and other settlements along

1120-655: The Potawatomie , Sac , and Fox to attack an Osage village; three Osage warriors were killed. The Osage blamed the Americans for the attack. One of the Chouteau traders intervened and persuaded the Osage to conduct a buffalo hunt rather than seek retaliation by attacking Americans. Lewis tried to control the Osage also by separating the friendly members from the hostile. In a letter dated August 21, 1808, that President Jefferson sent to Lewis, he says that he approves of

1190-629: The Presbyterian , Dutch Reformed , and Associate Reformed churches. They established the Union, Harmony, and Hopefield missions. Cultural differences often led to conflicts, as the Protestants tried to impose their culture. The Catholic Church also sent missionaries. The Osage were attracted to their sense of mystery and ritual but felt the Catholics did not fully embrace the Osage sense of

1260-683: The Schell-Osage Wildlife Area into St. Clair County , widening into a long meandering arm of the Harry S. Truman Reservoir, approximately 40 miles (64 km) long. The lake receives the South Grand River as a second arm of the reservoir from the northwest, as well as the Pomme de Terre River from the south. The two arms of the reservoir join near the Harry S. Truman Dam in central Benton County . Downstream from

1330-518: The 1870s, the Osage did not receive their full annuity in cash. Like other Native Americans, they suffered from the government's failure to provide full or satisfactory rations and goods as part of their annuities during this period. Middlemen made profits by shorting supplies to the Indians or giving them poor-quality food. Some people starved. Many adjustments had to be made to their new way of life. During this time, Indian Office reports showed nearly

1400-424: The 19 cents previously offered to them by the U.S. In 1867, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer chose Osage scouts in his campaign against Chief Black Kettle and his band of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians in western Indian Territory. He knew the Osage for their scouting expertise, excellent terrain knowledge, and military prowess. Custer and his soldiers took Chief Black Kettle and his peaceful band by surprise in

1470-560: The 20th century, private construction of the Bagnell Dam, primarily to generate hydroelectricity , began in 1922 and was completed after nine years. It effectively ended commercial navigation on the river. The federally constructed Truman Dam was authorized by the federal Flood Control Act of 1954 and was completed in 1979. The two dams on the river generate power for the St. Louis metropolitan area. The large reservoirs have become popular tourist destinations and recreation areas in

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1540-657: The French. They attacked and defeated indigenous Caddo tribes to establish dominance in the Plains region by 1750, with control "over half or more of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas," which they maintained for nearly 150 years. Together with the Kiowa , Comanche , and Apache , they dominated western Oklahoma . The Osage held high rank among the old hunting tribes of the Great Plains. From their traditional homes in

1610-665: The Kanza, Osage, and Pawnee tribes thrived in much of modern-day Kansas. The Osage called the Europeans I'n-Shta-Heh (Heavy Eyebrows) because of their facial hair. As experienced warriors, the Osage allied with the French, with whom they traded, against the Illiniwek during the early 18th century. The first half of the 1720s was a time of more interaction between the Osage and French colonizers. Étienne de Veniard, Sieur de Bourgmont founded Fort Orleans in their territory; it

1680-623: The Louisiana Territory after the U.S. acquired it. The lucrative fur trade continued to stimulate the growth of St. Louis and attracted more settlers there. It became a major port on the Mississippi River. The U.S. and Osage signed their first treaty on November 10, 1808, by which the Osage made a major cession of land in present-day Missouri. Under the Osage Treaty , they ceded 52,480,000 acres (212,400 km ) to

1750-729: The Mississippi, building their wealth on the fur trade. In return for the Chouteau brothers' building a fort in the village of the Great Osage 350 miles (560 km) southwest of St. Louis, the Spanish regional government gave the Chouteaus a six-year monopoly on trade (1794–1802). The Chouteaus named the post Fort Carondelet after the Spanish governor. The Osage were pleased to have a fur trading post nearby, as it gave them access to manufactured goods and increased their prestige among

1820-633: The Ohio River valley area, extending into present-day Kentucky . According to their own stories, common to other Dhegihan-Siouan tribes, such as the Ponca, Omaha, Kaw and Quapaw, they migrated west as a result of war with the Iroquois and/or to reach more game. Scholars are divided as to whether they think the Osage and other groups left before the Beaver Wars of the Iroquois. Some believe that

1890-618: The Osage and other tribes. The U.S. compelled the Osage to cede additional land to the federal government in the treaty referred to as Lovely's Purchase . In 1833, the Osage clashed with the Kiowa near the Wichita Mountains in modern-day south-central Oklahoma, in an incident known as the Cutthroat Gap massacre . The Osage cut off the heads of their victims and arranged them in rows of brass cooking buckets. No Osage died in this attack. Later, Kiowa warriors, allied with

1960-651: The Osage at a meeting in Montgomery County , Kansas, on September 10, 1870. It provided that the remainder of Osage land in Kansas be sold, and the proceeds used to relocate the tribe to Indian Territory in the Cherokee Outlet . By delaying agreement with removal, the Osage benefited by a change in administration. They sold their lands to the "peace" administration of President Ulysses S. Grant , for which they received more money: $ 1.25 an acre rather than

2030-678: The Osage considered the Jesuits better able to work with their culture than the Protestant missionaries. The Jesuits also established a girls' school operated by the Sisters of Loretto from Kentucky, led by Mother Bridget Hayden . During a 35-year period, most of the missionaries were new recruits from Europe: Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium. They taught, established more than 100 mission stations, built churches, and created

2100-631: The Osage earned $ 30 million in royalties. Since the early 20th century, they are the only tribe within the state of Oklahoma to retain a federally recognized reservation. Osage River The Osage River is a 276-mile-long (444 km) tributary of the Missouri River in central Missouri in the United States . The eighth-largest river in the state, it drains a mostly rural area of 15,300 square miles (40,000 km ). The watershed includes an area of east-central Kansas and

2170-740: The Osage favored the Union by a five to one ratio, they made a treaty with the Confederacy to try to buy some peace. Roughly 200 Osage men were recruited into the Confederate army and formed the Osage Battalion , serving under Cherokee Confederate General Stand Watie . Following the American Civil War and victory of the Union, the Drum Creek Treaty was passed by Congress on July 15, 1870, and ratified by

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2240-565: The Osage for many years and learned their language, Jean-Pierre Chouteau traded with them and made his home at present-day Salina, Oklahoma , in the western part of their territory. After the Lewis and Clark Expedition was completed in 1806, Jefferson appointed Meriwether Lewis as Indian Agent for the Territory of Missouri and the region. There were continuing confrontations between the Osage and other tribes in this area. Lewis anticipated that

2310-481: The Osage had cultural practices that had elements of the cultures of both Woodland Native Americans and the Great Plains peoples . The villages of the Osage were important hubs in the Great Plains trading network served by Kaw people as intermediaries. Osage people who adhere to traditional customs believe they are an integral part of a broader universe. Their ceremonies and social organization represent what

2380-463: The Osage raids and worked to gain support from related tribes as well as whites. The peoples confronted each other in the " Battle of Claremore Mound ," in which 38 Osage warriors were killed and 104 were taken captive by the Cherokee and their allies. As a result of the battle, the United States constructed Fort Smith in present-day Arkansas. It was intended to prevent armed confrontations between

2450-553: The Osage started migrating west as early as 1200 CE and are descendants of the Mississippian culture in the Ohio and Mississippi valleys. They attribute their style of government to effects of the long years of war with invading Iroquois. After resettling west of the Mississippi River, the Osage were sometimes allied with the Illiniwek and sometimes competed with them, as that tribe was also driven west of Illinois by warfare with

2520-719: The Truman Dam, the river becomes the serpentine Lake of the Ozarks , stretching eastward for nearly 92 miles (148 km) to Bagnell Dam in Camden County and southwestern Miller County . Constructed in 1931, the dam collects the Niangua River . Downstream from the dam, the Osage flows freely to the northeast in broad oxbow meanders through forested bluffs, joining the Missouri approximately 15 miles (24 km) east and downstream of Jefferson City . The river

2590-508: The U.S. would have to go to war with the Osage, because of their raids on eastern Natives and European-American settlements. However, the U.S. lacked sufficient military strength to coerce Osage bands into ceasing their raids. It decided to supply other tribes with weapons and ammunition, provided they attack the Osage to the point they "cut them off completely or drive them from their country." For instance, in September 1807, Lewis persuaded

2660-648: The United States made the Louisiana Purchase , the U.S. government appointed the wealthy French fur trader Jean-Pierre Chouteau , a half-brother of René Auguste Chouteau, as the Indian agent assigned to the Osage. In 1809, he founded the Saint Louis Missouri Fur Company with his son Auguste Pierre Chouteau and other prominent men of St. Louis, most of whom were of French-Creole descent, born in North America. Having lived with

2730-477: The West and supplies to help them adapt to farming and a more settled culture. They were first relocated to a reservation in what is now southeastern Kansas called the Osage Diminished Reserve . The city of Independence would later develop there. The first Osage reservation was a 50-by-150-mile (80 by 241 km) strip. The United Foreign Missionary Society sent clergy to them, supported by

2800-441: The channel of the river. Early attempts failed because of lack of funding for the immense task. Commercial navigation on the river in the 19th century was confined mostly to smaller craft that could navigate the tight bends and shoals of the river. Improvements in the channel by the last two decades of the century led to greater commercial traffic. These changes made the lower reaches of the river navigable for steamboat commerce for

2870-511: The city of St. Louis in 2014 to celebrate its 250th anniversary of founding by the French. They participated in a mass partially conducted in Osage at St. Francis Xavier College Church of St. Louis University on April 2, 2014, as part of planned activities. One of the con-celebrants was Todd Nance, who is the first Osage to be ordained as a Catholic priest. In 1843, the Osage asked the federal government to send "Black Robes", Jesuit missionaries, to their reservation to educate their children;

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2940-578: The clans: clan members had to marry people from opposite clans or divisions. Clan representation was expressed in the arrangement of Osage villages. The sky people lived on the side opposite the earth people, and the lodges of the Osage spiritual leaders were situated in between the two sides. Osage life was highly ritualized, where there were certain ceremonies would be performed utilizing bundles, ceremonial pipes which used tobacco as offerings to seek Wakonda's aid. These ceremonies were presided over by Osage medicine people and spiritual leaders. Although some of

3010-613: The early 19th century, the Osage had become the dominant power in the region, feared by neighboring tribes. The tribe controlled the area between the Missouri and Red rivers, the Ozarks to the east and the foothills of the Wichita Mountains to the south. They depended on nomadic buffalo hunting and agriculture. The 19th-century painter George Catlin described the Osage as "the tallest race of men in North America, either red or white skins; there being ... many of them six and

3080-465: The early 20th century, oil was discovered on their land. They had retained communal mineral rights during the allotment process, and many Osage became wealthy through returns from leasing fees generated by their Osage headrights . However, during the 1920s and what was known as the Reign of Terror, they suffered manipulation, fraud and numerous murders by outsiders eager to take over their wealth. In 2011,

3150-428: The early morning near the Washita River on November 27, 1868. They killed Chief Black Kettle, and the ambush resulted in additional deaths on both sides. This incident became known as the Battle of Washita River , or the Washita massacre, an ignominious part of the United States' Indian Wars . The Osage were one of the few American Indian nations to buy their own reservation. As a result, they retained more rights to

3220-404: The earth as feminine. They revere the behavior of animals such as hawks, deer and bears, which are considered to be very courageous. Other species lived long lives, such as pelicans. Because humans lacked many of the characteristics naturally found within other forms of life around them, they were expected to learn from the others and emulate characteristics desirable for survival. Survival was not

3290-412: The federal government. This treaty created a buffer line between the Osage and new European-American settlers in the Missouri Territory . It also established the requirement that the U.S. president had to approve all future land sales and cessions by the Osage. The Treaty of Ft. Osage states the U.S. would "protect" the Osage tribe "from the insults and injuries of other tribes of Indians, situated near

3360-449: The first Native American nation to gain full cash payment of annuities. They gradually began to build up their tribe again but suffered encroachment by white outlaws, vagabonds, and thieves. The Osage wrote a constitution in 1881, modeling some parts of it after the United States Constitution. By the start of the 20th century, the federal government and progressives were continuing to press for Native American assimilation , believing this

3430-418: The land and sovereignty. They retained mineral rights on their lands. The reservation, of approximately 1,470,000 acres (5,900 km ), was purchased in 1872 and is coterminous with present-day Osage County, Oklahoma , in the north-central portion of the state between Tulsa and Ponca City . The Osage established four towns: Pawhuska , Hominy , Fairfax , and Gray Horse . Each was dominated by one of

3500-655: The literature cites these individuals as "priests", this term is misleading and is more Eurocentric in nature. Ceremonies, although very elaborate served basic functions such as requesting aid from Wakonda for continued tribal existence and the blessing of a long life through children. Ceremonial songs were also a way to document the knowledge spiritual leaders gained, considering there was no written language. Songs of this nature were taught and shared among only those other Osages who were sincere and had proven themselves. Many songs and ceremonies were created for all facets of life such as adoption, marriage, war, agriculture and to honor

3570-418: The longest-running school system in Kansas. White squatters continued to be a frequent problem for the Osage, but they recovered from population losses, regaining a total of 5,000 members by 1850. The Kansas–Nebraska Act resulted in numerous settlers arriving in Kansas Territory ; both abolitionists and pro-slavery groups were represented among those trying to establish residency in order to vote on whether

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3640-466: The loyalty of Catholic priests, who stayed with them and also died in the epidemic, created a special covenant between the tribe and the Catholic Church, but they did not convert in great numbers. Catholic clergy accompanied the Osage when they were forced to move again to Indian Territory in what became Oklahoma. Honoring this special relationship, as well as Catholic sisters who taught their children in schools on reservations, numerous Osage elders went to

3710-409: The major bands at the time of removal. The Osage continued their relationship with the Catholic Church, which established schools operated by two orders of nuns, as well as mission churches. It was many years before the Osage recovered from the hardships suffered during their last years in Kansas and their early years on the reservation in Indian Territory. For nearly five years during the depression of

3780-444: The measures Lewis has taken in regards to making allies of the friendly Osage from those deemed as hostile. Jefferson writes, "we may go further, & as the principal obstacle to the Indians acting in large bodies is the want of provisions, we might supply that want, & ammunition also if they need it." But the goal foremost pursued by the U.S. was to push the Osage out of areas being settled by European Americans, who began to enter

3850-408: The nation gained a settlement from the federal government after an 11-year legal struggle over long mismanagement of their oil funds. In the 21st century, the federally recognized Osage Nation has approximately 20,000 enrolled members, 6,780 of whom reside in the tribe's jurisdictional area. Members also live outside the nation's tribal land in Oklahoma and in other states around the country. The tribe

3920-528: The powerful Iroquois. Eventually the Osage and other Dhegihan-Siouan peoples reached their historic lands, likely developing and splitting into the above tribes in the course of the migration to the Great Plains. By the 17th century, many of the Osage had settled near the Osage River in the western part of present-day Missouri . They were recorded in 1690 as having adopted the horse, a valuable resource often acquired through raids on other tribes. The desire to acquire more horses contributed to their trading with

3990-401: The rising of the sun in the morning. During funerals, the faces of dead Osage were traditionally "painted to signal [his or] her tribe and clan". In 1673, French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet were among the first Europeans documented to contact the Osage, traveling southward from present-day Canada in their journey along the Mississippi River. Marquette's 1673 map noted

4060-445: The settlements of white people....". As was common in Native American relations with the federal government, the Osage found that the U.S. did not carry through on this commitment. The Choctaw chief Pushmataha , based in Mississippi, made his early reputation in battles against the Osage tribe in the area of southern Arkansas and their borderlands. In the early 19th century, some Cherokee, such as Sequoyah , voluntarily moved from

4130-471: The southeast to the Arkansas River valley under pressure from European-American settlement in their traditional territory. They clashed there with the Osage, who controlled this area. The Osage regarded the Cherokee as invaders. They began raiding Cherokee towns, stealing horses, carrying off captives (usually women and children), and killing others, trying to drive out the Cherokee with a campaign of violence and fear. The Cherokee were not effective in stopping

4200-399: The spiritual incarnate in nature. During this period in Kansas, the tribe suffered from the widespread smallpox pandemic of 1837–1838, which caused devastating losses among Native Americans from Canada to New Mexico. All clergy except the Catholics abandoned the Osage during the crisis. Most survivors of the epidemic had received vaccinations against the disease. The Osage believed that

4270-463: The territory should permit slavery . The Osage lands became overrun with European-American settlers. In 1855, the Osage suffered another epidemic of smallpox, because a generation had grown up without getting vaccinated. During Bleeding Kansas and later the American Civil War the Osage largely stayed neutral, but both sides successfully recruited Osage fighters to their side. John Allen Mathews , an American who married an Osage woman, advocated for

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4340-419: The tribe to side with the Confederate States of America . The tribe signed a treaty with the CSA in October 1861. The Jesuit priest Father Schoenmakers recruited Osage fighters for the Union Army . They struggled simply to survive through famine and the war. During the war, many Caddoan and Creek refugees from Indian Territory came to Osage country in Kansas, further straining their resources. Although

4410-424: The tribe. Names of clans included Red Cedar ( Hon-tse-shu-tsy ), Travelers in the Mist ( Moh-sho-tsa-moie ), Deer Lungs ( Tah-lah-he ) and Elk ( O-pon ). Children born to a certain clan had a ceremonial naming in order to introduce them to the community. Without a ceremonial name, an Osage child could not participate in ceremonies, so naming was an important part of Osage identity. The people regulated marriage through

4480-402: The tribes likely diverged in languages and cultures after leaving the lower Ohio Country. The Omaha and Ponca settled in what is now Nebraska ; the Kansa in Kansas; and the Quapaw in Arkansas . In the 19th century, the Osage were forced by the United States to move from modern-day Kansas into Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), and the majority of their descendants live in Oklahoma. In

4550-412: The tribes. Lewis and Clark reported in 1804 that the peoples were the Great Osage on the Osage River , the Little Osage upstream, and the Arkansas band on the Verdigris River , a tributary of the Arkansas River . The Osage then numbered some 5,500. The Osage and Quapaw suffered extensive losses from smallpox in 1801–1802. Historians estimate up to 2,000 Osage died in the epidemic. In 1804 after

4620-424: The vast prairie owned by the tribe. Because of his recent work in developing oil production in Kansas, Henry Foster approached the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to request exclusive privileges to explore the Osage Reservation for oil and natural gas. Foster died shortly afterward, and his brother, Edwin B. Foster, assumed his interests. The BIA granted the request on March 16, 1896, with the stipulation that Foster

4690-455: The woodlands of present-day Missouri and Arkansas, the Osage would make semi-annual buffalo hunting forays into the Great Plains to the west. They also hunted deer, rabbit, and other wild game in the central and eastern parts of their domain. Near their villages, the women cultivated varieties of corn , squash , and other vegetables which they processed for food. They also harvested and processed nuts and wild berries. In their years of transition,

4760-420: Was the best policy for them. Congress passed the Curtis Act and Dawes Act , legislation requiring the dismantling of communal lands on other reservations. They allotted communal lands in 160-acre (65 ha) portions to individual households, declaring the remainder as "surplus" and selling it to non-natives. They also dismantled the tribal governments . In 1894 large quantities of oil were discovered beneath

4830-464: Was the first European colonial fort on the Missouri River. Jesuit missionaries were assigned to French forts and established missions in an attempt to convert the Osage, learning their language to ingratiate themselves. In 1724, the Osage allied with the French rather than the Spanish in their fight for control of the Mississippi region. In 1725, Bourgmont led a delegation of Osage and other tribal chiefs to Paris . They were shown around France, including

4900-412: Was to pay the Osage tribe a 10% royalty on all sales of petroleum produced on the reservation. Foster found large quantities of oil, and the Osage benefited greatly monetarily. But this discovery of "black gold" eventually led to more hardships for tribal members. The Osage had learned about negotiating with the U.S. government. Through the efforts of Principal Chief James Bigheart , in 1907 they reached

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