Known as the Treaty of Ruby Valley, this treaty between the United States and the Shoshonee Indians was concluded October 1, 1863, by President Ulysses S. Grant.
After the Revolutionary War, the United States had continued the European practice of negotiating treaties with the Native Peoples similarly to how they negotiated with foreign governments. This practice changed gradually over time.
In 1831, the Supreme Court case
Cherokee Nation v.
Georgia had changed the status of Native tribes from "independent, sovereign nations" to "domestic dependent nations." Treaties, however, still followed the pattern of requiring negotiations between the U.S. Government and tribal governments and ratification by Congress. Not all negotiated treaties were ratified.
In 1871, Congress passed the Indian Appropriations Act, which suspended all further treaties with Native governments. After that time, all changes or additions to Native lands or status were conducted by Executive Order, Acts of Congress, and decisions of the Federal Courts. To this day federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Natives retain the right of self-government and usually hold a legal position directly under the Federal Government.
This document was digitized by teachers in our Primarily Teaching 2016 summer workshop in Washington, D.C.This primary source comes from the Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Full Citation: Copy of Treaty between the United States of America and the Western Bands fo Shoshonee Indians; 10/1/1869; October 1, 1863 #326; Printed Copies of Ratified Treaties, 1825-70; Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/treaty-western-bands-shoshonee, May 16, 2024]