Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation
[citation needed] The main part of the Turtle Mountain Reservation is located in Rolette County, North Dakota.
Another 26,175 acres (10,593 ha) is located in Rolette County, North Dakota, around the Turtle Mountain Reservation.
[1] They consist of a vast spreading of hills, wetlands, and plateaus situated along the border, and are where the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation is located.
[citation needed] In the early 19th century (around 1810–1820), Chippewa and Metis warriors battled with white fur trade companies over sensitive issues.
[citation needed] Historians claim the Chippewa still controlled nearly 10 million acres (4,000,000 ha; 16,000 sq mi) in 1892.
In the late 1880s, the United States sent representatives to chief Little Shell III and his councilors, to negotiate a deal for the acreage still owned by them.
The United States forced chief Little Shell III and several hundred of his supporters off the reservation rolls, making them landless.
Bison were a crucial resource for Métis populations, being important in the ways of life and the economy, as it was often sold and traded.
[1] In February 1876, a document written by the Chippewa Indians of Turtle Mountain was signed by Little Shell III.
[3] In March 1884, President of the United States Chester Arthur reduced the size of the reservation to six by twelve miles.
Through sentiments of disappointment due to the large reduction of land size, Metis and Plains Ojibwa were brought together, however still had some divisions in goals.
[3] As a result of the Northwest resistance, many Métis of Saskatchewan went to Turtle Mountain to stay with relatives, increasing both numbers and tensions on the reservation.
Those living on the reservation did not have adequate space and the overcrowding caused a faster decline in the resources available on the land, resulting in deaths due to starvation and disease.
Cold winters and dry summers made agriculture very difficult and the numbers of bison declined rapidly.
[3] In 1904, an agreement was put into effect between the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the government of the United States.
[3] The McCumber Agreement stated that the people of Turtle Mountain would sell the land of the reservation of a price of $1 million.
Little Shell III was the leader of the Plains Ojibwe, but his authority was diminishing, as he was unable to address all of the issues that were occurring in the community stemming from the agreement.
[3] In 1920, the population of Turtle Mountain formed a committee to sue the United States for the failures of the McCumber Agreement.
It covered a large area of land in central Canada and northern United States including parts of eastern Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, northwestern Ontario, northern Minnesota, eastern North Dakota, and northeastern South Dakota.
[citation needed] In 1932, a tribal constitution was implemented on Turtle Mountain, 27 years after the signing of the McCumber Agreement.
[2] The people of Turtle Mountain were informed that the implementation of this constitution would make their claims clear to the federal government.
As a result of this, the constitution was not accepted by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, as in their view it did not respect the community.
[1] The Indian Reorganization Act was still passed in 1934, two years after the establishment of the constitution, claim that its goals were to reestablish tribal governments.
[3] An agency of the Turtle Mountain Reservation, the Trenton Indian Service Area was established in the 1970s to manage the Chippewa land allotments in northeastern Montana and northwestern North Dakota.
[citation needed] In the private sector, it is estimated that there are at least 135 Indian-owned businesses on and around the Turtle Mountain Reservation.
[citation needed] According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the unemployment rate of the Turtle Mountain Reservation in 2010 was 69.25 percent.
[6] The tribe welcomed the birth of a white buffalo calf in June 2022 as it signified a sign of hope that their prayers were being answered.
[citation needed] Summers are short and warm, with average high temperatures for June, July, and August at Belcourt of 72, 78, and 76 °F (22, 26, and 24 °C).
