Blackfoot Indian Tribe, History, Culture

The Blackfoot Tribe has a fascinating history, giving a view into their traditions and ways of life, and providing some understanding of these Native Americans and our own history.

1600
Originally living in the forests of the northeastern United States, in 1600 the Blackfoot decided to relocate and moved west to the area of the Great Lakes and into Canada.

1700s
Establishing themselves in the Great Plains, the Blackfoot gained the name “Lords of the Plains.”

1806
This was the year of the first known meeting of the Blackfoot and the white man, when they came face to face with the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

1833
A German explorer by the name of Prince Maximilian and a Swiss painter, Karl Bodmer, lived with the Blackfoot for months to understand their culture.

1837
A steamboat of the American Fur Company, with passengers aboard who had smallpox, headed into Blackfoot territory to trade. Many Indians contracted the disease and 6,000 died, wiping out much of the Blackfoot population.

1860
With few buffalo left, the Blackfoot became dependent upon supplies provided by the government per a treaty. Much of the food would spoil before it arrived, and starving, the Blackfoot began to raid white settlements for food.

1883
This winter of this year was called “Starvation Winter” because the buffalo were gone and there were no government food supplies that arrived. More Blackfoot died of hunger.

1907
The United States government put into effect a policy of not allowing tribal groups and forcing families to live separately. Each family got one 160-acre farm. All unused and unoccupied lands went to the government.

1934
This year the Indian Reservation Act stopped the practice of allotting land and permitted the Indians to choose their own government and practice their traditions per their culture.

1935
The Blackfoot Nation started a Tribal Business Council and established their own Constitution. They have run their own government since then.