1803 to 1837

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory and brought Kiowa lands under the authority of the United States. Over the next 30 years, the federal government worked to purchase Indian lands and create a barrier between settlers and Indians, using treaties and removal agreements to achieve these aims. They also sought to “civilize” Indians by funding Protestant and Catholic efforts to teach farming, domestic skills, and Christianity. Kiowas maintained their way of life, far from events east of the Mississippi, and had strong alliances with other Native peoples and agreements with other colonial powers. They maintained their ritual practices and flourished in many respects. Over time, however, the arrival of Native people who had been removed from the East put new pressures on Kiowas. With more people venturing into their lands, Kiowas finally met with American officials in the 1830s and signed their first treaty with the United States.