Which treaty guaranteed permanent ownership of land in western South Dakota to the natives?

The correct choice addresses the 2nd Treaty of Fort Laramie, which was signed in 1868. This treaty is significant because it established the Great Sioux Reservation, granting permanent ownership of a vast area in western South Dakota to the Lakota Sioux. It acknowledged their right to the land and intended to protect it from encroachment by settlers and miners, marking a critical moment in U.S. relations with Native American tribes during the westward expansion.

The treaty provided for the assurance of land rights and included provisions for the establishment of schools and other infrastructure to improve the lives of the Sioux. However, this treaty would later be violated by the U.S. government, especially after the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, which was part of the treaty-defined territory.

Other treaties mentioned in the options did not secure permanent ownership of land in western South Dakota for the natives in a similar manner. The 1st Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851), for example, established tribal boundaries over a much larger area but was not specifically focused on the securing ownership for the Sioux in South Dakota as the later treaty was. Similarly, the Treaty of Fort Wise (1861) and the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux (1851) also lacked