The Collapse of Cheyenne Supremacy

The decline of Cheyenne dominance in the late 19th century was marked by rapid white settlement and the expansion of the Union Pacific Railroad. The Cheyenne, particularly the Dog Men warrior society, resisted encroachment on their hunting grounds, essential for their economic subsistence and spiritual beliefs. The Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867 offered the Cheyenne a false promise of continued access to their lands, as the treaty's final document lacked assurances made during negotiations. Despite the Cheyenne's efforts to maintain their way of life, the relentless advance of settlers and the decimation of the bison herds led to the irreversible alteration of their landscape and the eventual collapse of their traditional society. This episode is a reading of John H. Monnett's article "The Collapse of Cheyenne Supremacy in the Great Plains" from the Fall 2023 issue of Nebraska History Magazine.