Articles Of Incorporation - Arkansas Secretary Of State: Fill & Download for Free

Also known as the “Natural State,” Arkansas is famous for its wide variety of natural resources that range from petroleum, natural gas, bromine, and silica stone. During the twentieth century, the state provided roughly 90 percent of all domestic Bauxite, which is what aluminum is made from. Today, this state is the nation’s leading producer of rice and poultry, growing almost every crop produced in the United States except citrus fruits.Is the “Land of Opportunity” calling your name to start a small business? If so, it’s a good idea to get acquainted with their Secretary of State and consider these five tips to help you get started incorporating in Arkansas.1. If you’re planning to conduct business within Arkansas, head on over to the Business & Commercial Services (BCS) division of the Secretary of State. Here, you’ll be able to conduct a business entity and name search and file the necessary documents for your business including Articles of Incorporation and Certificates of Amendment. Depending on the type of entity your business is, keep in mind that all companies registered in Arkansas must file either an Annual report or franchise tax report. Additional services provided by the BCS include recording and approving trademarks and filing notary public certificates.2. Remember that the Corporations Division does not issue, or maintain records of, EINs. Employee Identification Numbers may only be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service.3. The Arkansas Secretary of State now accepts online filings. You can still return a PDF version of the form by mail or return to the Business and Commercial Services office with the payment attached. The fee for filing an Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization is $50 (hint, if you file online the filing fee is slightly reduced!).4. The registered agent may or may not be an owner, shareholder or officer of the corporation. Most corporations tend to use their attorney or a professional corporate service company for this service. The registered agent’s address must be a street address in Arkansas, and the agent must be located at that address.5. Are you familiar with Dream It Do It Arkansas? For entrepreneurs with ideas for businesses that they would like to start, the Secretary of State is here to help you create a customized to-do list for starting a business in Arkansas.If this listicle convinced you that this is where you’d like to incorporate your business, check in with the Arkansas District Office or the Arkansas Secretary of State for more information. Follow the Arkansas Secretary of State on Facebook and Twitter for all of the latest updates.

Business partnerships are often compared to marriages, and with good reason. When you enter one, you're signing up to mingle your finances. If the business is sued because of something your business partner does, you both have to answer. And if you're not careful, creditors and courts can reach into your personal assets to settle up.There are four types of partnerships, some of which can lessen these risks. Some types are only available in certain states, and some are limited to specific types of businesses.Before you jump in, it pays to know your options and how to form the kind of partnership that suits your needs.Overview: What is a partnership?A partnership is a business shared by multiple owners. It's not a legal business entity, and it doesn't have to be registered with the state. Basically, if you decide to go into business with another person without filing any state paperwork, you're automatically in a partnership.Some types of partnerships are legal business entities registered with the state. These entities may provide limited liability protection to shield your personal assets.How are partnerships different from other business entities?A partnership, like a sole proprietorship, is legally and financially inseparable from its owners. Profits and losses may be passed through to the owners' personal income for tax purposes. Debts and liabilities pass through as well.Partnerships are generally easier and less costly to create than corporations.All partnerships provide the advantage of pass-through taxation, which generally results in lower taxes than other business structures such as corporations.Types of PartnershipsThese are the four types of partnerships.1. General partnershipA general partnership is the most basic form of partnership. It does not require forming a business entity with the state. In most cases, partners form their business by signing a partnership agreement.Ownership and profits are usually split evenly among the partners, although they may establish different terms in the partnership agreement.In a general partnership, all partners have independent power to bind the business to contracts and loans. Each partner also has total liability, meaning they are personally responsible for all of the business's debts and legal obligations.That's a lot of power and a lot of mutual responsibility. For example, say a general partnership has three partners. One of the partners takes out a loan that the business cannot repay. All partners may now be personally liable for the debt.General partnerships are easy to form and dissolve. In most cases, the partnership dissolves automatically if any partner dies or goes bankrupt.2. Limited partnershipLimited partnerships (LPs) are formal business entities authorized by the state. They have at least one general partner who is fully responsible for the business and one or more limited partners who provide money but do not actively manage the business.Limited partners invest in the business for financial returns and are not responsible for its debts and liabilities.This silent partner limited liability means limited partners can share in the profits, but they cannot lose more than they've invested. In some states, limited partners may not qualify for pass-through taxation.If they begin actively managing the business, they may lose their status as a limited partner, along with its protections.Some LPs appoint a limited liability company (LLC) as the general partner so no one has to bear unlimited personal liability for the business. That option may not be available in all states, and it's much more complicated than an LP.3. Limited liability partnershipA limited liability partnership (LLP) operates like a general partnership, with all partners actively managing the business, but it limits their liability for one another's actions.The partners still bear full responsibility for the debts and legal liabilities of the business, but they're not responsible for errors and omissions of their fellow partners.LLPs are not permitted in all states and are often limited to certain professions such as doctors, lawyers, and accountants.4. Limited liability limited partnershipA limited liability limited partnership (LLLP) is a newer type of partnership available in some states. It operates like an LP, with at least one general partner who manages the business, but the LLLP limits the general partner's liability so all partners have liability protection.LLLPs are currently authorized in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.California doesn't authorize LLLPs, but it will recognize LLLPs formed in other states.Because they aren't recognized in all states, LLLPs are not a good choice if your business works in multiple states. In addition, their liability protections haven't been tested thoroughly in the courts.How to legally form a partnershipWhen forming a partnership, follow these steps.Step 1: Choose a structureThe first step is to find the best partnership for your situation through these steps:Research permitted partnerships: Check your secretary of state’s website to determine the types of partnerships available in your state and which ones are permitted for your business type.Discuss your vision and goals: What do you expect to contribute to the business, and what do you want to get out of it? Are you looking for steady income, a tax shelter, or the chance to pursue a dream? Do you have spouses or family members who might play a role in the business? How will you handle structuring money and partnership accounting?Choose a structure: Based on all of those factors, choose the structure that best fits your business. This is a good time to consult your attorney and a tax advisor.Step 2: Draft a partnership agreementWhile partnerships have been founded on a handshake, most are created with a formal partnership agreement.A partnership agreement is like a corporation's articles of incorporation. It establishes how your business will be run, how profits and losses will be shared, and how you'll manage changes such as the departure or death of a partner.Your partnership agreement should be signed by all parties and kept on file permanently.Your agreement should cover the following items:Who are the partners and what is their contact information?How will ownership be divided among the partners?Who will manage the business? Will more than one partner share the responsibility?Do you have limited partners? If so, what will they contribute?How will disputes be resolved? Will one manager have a final say? What happens if you have an irreconcilable difference?What process will you follow if a partner decides to leave? How will that person's financial stake in the business be valued and resolved?How will profits and losses be distributed? On a set schedule? At the partners' discretion?Will family members participate in the partnership? Will they have any special powers, privileges, or limitations?SCORE provides excellent resources for drafting your partnership agreement, including mentors to help you through the process.Step 3: Name your businessBefore filling out any state paperwork, you need to find an available, permissible name through these steps:Consult partner name regulations: Each state has its own rules for including partner names in your business name, and they can be very particular. For example, in Massachusetts, the name of an LP "may not contain the name of a limited partner unless it is also the name of a general partner or the corporate name of a corporate general partner or the business has been carried on under that name before the admission of the limited partner." Comb through the fine print to make sure you're following your state's rules.Check corporate designator rules: States have unique requirements for including corporate designators -- words or suffixes such as "LP" that reflect your business type -- in your business name. This is to ensure that people dealing with you can readily understand the nature of your business. In Massachusetts, for example, LPs must spell out the words "limited partnership" in their names. In other states, you may be able to use "LP" instead.Check availability: Once you have a street-legal name, you need to make sure it's not already taken. Most secretary of state websites include an online search feature that will give you an answer immediately.Step 4: Register your partnershipIf you're forming an LP, LLP, or LLLP, you must register your business with the state through these steps:Choose a home state: If your business is dispersed among multiple states, you will need to choose a state of formation. Generally, the state where you conduct the bulk of your business is the best state for this.Check licensing requirements: Determine what licenses you will need to conduct your business and apply for them as required.Apply: Complete the relevant certificate of partnership for your chosen structure and submit it to your secretary of state or corporations division. The application generally includes the names and contact information for all partners, their roles, the purpose of the business, and an expiration date for the partnership.Appoint a registered agent: You must name someone who is available in a physical office location during business hours to accept delivery of notices of lawsuits (service of process) and other business documents. There are professional services you can use to manage this for you.Submit your application: Submit the prescribed number of copies (usually two) of your certificate with the required fee to the secretary of state or corporations bureau. You can usually submit your application online.Keep your documents: Once your application is approved, store the documents in your permanent business archive.Step 5: Submit annual reportsIf your partnership is registered as an LP, LLP, or LLLP, you'll likely need to submit annual reports to keep the secretary of state up to date on basic information about your business. In most states, these are due annually or biennially with a fee based on your entity type.Be sure to check these requirements, and schedule automatic notifications to ensure that you don't miss a state deadline.

Q. Are there any Native American accounts of the Civil War? How did they perceive it?Civil War Virtual MuseumThe Civil War was a disaster for the people of the Indian Territory. 28,693 Native Americans joined up as soldiers and fought alongside those whom they had previously fought against. In addition to the horrific loss of life, immense amounts of property were destroyed and agricultural production was brought to a standstill. Recriminations, feuds, and revenge killings plagued the tribes for decades. But perhaps worse of all, the United States government punished the Indians for their alliances with the Confederacy by reducing their autonomy and eventually abolishing the Indian Territory altogether.Native Americans in the Civil War: A Forgotten HistoryNative Americans participated in the Civil War as both Union and Confederate soldiers. 28,693 Native Americans joined up as soldiers and fought alongside those whom they had previously fought against in other wars.Land and Slaves: Issues Important to Many Native TribesThe outcome of the Civil War would affect land available to them, as well as their economic prosperity. If they fought for the winning side, there was a strong chance of them keeping access to their ancestral lands, as well as their freedom and cultural traditions. If they fought on the losing side, they could lose all.Majority of Native Americans fought for the Union (particularly the Cherokees, who had been badly treated by the southerners), some tribes fought for the Confederacy because they were slave holders. The Creek and Choctaw, in particular.Divided TribesThe Cherokee had a mini-civil war where northern and southern states bordered. A minority of Cherokee fought for the Confederacy in defiance of tribal leader. Other tribes experienced this to a lesser degree. All were reunited after the war.The Role of Native Americans in Key BattlesU.S. and Confederate government both welcomed Native American soldiers. They fought bravely and passionately for their sides, and were instrumental in achieving victories in certain key battles.Pea RidgeThe Second Battle of ManassasAntietamSpotsylvaniaPetersburgNative Americans in the American Civil War - WikipediaEly S. Parker was a Union Civil War Colonel who wrote the terms of surrender between the United States and the Confederate States of America.Parker was one of two Native Americans to reach the rank of brigadier general during the Civil War.Native American individuals, bands, tribes, and nations participate in numerous skirmishes and battles. Native Americans served in both the Union and Confederate military during the American Civil War. They were found in the Eastern, Western, and Trans-Mississippi Theaters. At the outbreak of the war, for example, the majority of the Cherokees sided with the Union, but soon after allied with the Confederacy. Native Americans fought knowing they might jeopardize their sovereignty, unique cultures, and ancestral lands if they ended up on the losing side of the Civil War. 28,693 Native Americans served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War, participating in battles such as Pea Ridge, Second Manassas, Antietam, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and in Federal assaults on Petersburg.Native Americans swearing in for the American Civil War.AftermathCherokee confederates (Thomas' Legion) at the U.C.V reunion in New Orleans 1903American Indian communities were totally devastated by the War. The Trans Mississippi Theater saw the Indian Nations reduced to rubble. Historians claim they were hardest hit of all who participated in the War.In the Western Theater, the Mississippi Choctaw were ignored and forgotten for nearly twenty years. It wasn't until 1900 when Samuel G. Spann began writing about his wartime experiences that the Mississippi Choctaw got some acknowledgment. Spann later commanded a U.C.V. camp in Mississippi. The Florida Seminole's recognition during the War was barely recorded. The North Carolina Cherokee was well remembered for their role. They created a U.C.V. Camp. South Carolina's Catawba erected a memorial in honor of their deeds.Journal of Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Native Americans: A Study of Their Civil War ExperienceThe importance of Native American involvement in the war extends beyond the stereotype of an oppressed people being pushed out of their homelands. Their experience was unique and tragic, yet familiar. While the atrocities they experienced by white men cannot be justified, some of the major themes of the war can be applied as a way to relate their experience with other groups. Through the struggles of picking sides when the Civil War began, both White Americans and Indians were caught in a place of fighting against those similar to themselves.John Ross and Stand Watie, two prominent figures within the Cherokee Indian Territory, disagreed with what to do. Watie believed in fighting for the Confederacy—he later became Brigadier General—while Ross wanted to remain neutral. In the end, the Cherokee nation sided with the Confederacy, beginning a wave of choosing allies in the Indian Territory nations.Americans faced the same dilemma. When the Southern states began to secede from the Union, Americans had to pick their alliances. The nation‟s divide tore families apart and will forever be written in the pages of our nation‟s history as the bloodiest war fought on American soil.Whether politically or economically tied to one side or another, Native Americans faced the hardship of being pushed aside when they had been promised treaties by the United States government. Both the Union and the Confederacy promised them many things—representation within their houses of leadership, land, independence and freedom.However, no one was treated fairly. Those who remained neutral were no better than those who chose sides. Every Native American and White American faced the possibility of starvation or the loss of family. More than 600,000 individuals died during the Civil War. Women lost their husbands and went through much trouble to gain support from the government for their families. Native American involvement in the Civil War reflects the struggles of an oppressed people. However, their involvement quiets the stereotype of helpless citizens being shafted by a heartless government.Native Americans stood up for what they wanted and fought bravely to attain that. By their involvement, they showed the character of the American spirit. Native Americans and White Americans both fought for an idealistic nation. Both wanted freedom, and both supported their views strongly. Through the eyes of the Native American experience in the Civil War, we see the experience of all Americans in one of the most devastating times in United States history.We are all Americans - Native Americans in the Civil War (alexandriava.gov)At a time when fear of removal from tribal homelands permeated Native American communities, many native people served in the military during the Civil War. These courageous men fought with distinction, knowing they might jeopardize their freedom, unique cultures, and ancestral lands if they ended up on the losing side of the white man's war.In an interesting twist of history, General Ely S. Parker, a member of the Seneca tribe, drew up the articles of surrender which General Robert E. Lee signed at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Gen. Parker, who served as Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's military secretary and was a trained attorney, was once rejected for Union military service because of his race. At Appomattox, Lee is said to have remarked to Parker, "I am glad to see one real American here," to which Parker replied, "We are all Americans."General Ulysses S Grant and his staffCivil War Virtual MuseumThe Civil War was a disaster for the people of the Indian Territory. In addition to the horrific loss of life, immense amounts of property were destroyed and agricultural production was brought to a standstill. Recriminations, feuds, and revenge killings plagued the tribes for decades. But perhaps worse of all, the United States government punished the Indians for their alliances with the Confederacy by reducing their autonomy and eventually abolishing the Indian Territory altogether.Native Americans in the WarDuring the antebellum years the United States government "relocated" many eastern Indian tribes to an area west of the Mississippi River designated the Indian Territory. This vast tract initially included parts of Arkansas and Kansas, but by the middle of the nineteenth century it had been reduced to roughly present-day Oklahoma. When the Civil War erupted the United States withdrew its Indian agents and military forces from Fort Smith, Fort Washita, and other posts inside the Indian Territory. The Confederacy moved quickly to fill this vacuum and establish diplomatic and military relations with the Indians.At the beginning of the American Civil War, Albert Pike was appointed as Confederate envoy to the Native Americans.Albert Pike, Confederate Commissioner of Indian Affairs, negotiated treaties of alliance with the so-called Five Civilized Tribes: Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles. The treaties required the Indians to support Confederate war aims and raise military forces for their own defense. The Confederacy pledged to arm, equip, and pay these forces and provide reinforcements as needed. The Confederacy also promised that the Indians would not be called upon to operate outside the boundaries of the Indian Territory. From the Confederate perspective, the treaties secured the western boundary of the new nation and allowed the government in Richmond to concentrate on other fronts.Support for the treaties in the Indian Territory was far from unanimous because it was not clear how the Indians would benefit from an alliance with the Confederacy. The vast majority of Indians had no ideological or emotional attachment to either the United States or the Confederacy and simply wanted to be left alone. Many were wary, and rightfully so, of being dragged into a conflict not of their own making. Public opinion was complicated by the tangle of politics and personal allegiances within each tribe. The Cherokees, for example, were still bitterly divided over the decision to abandon their traditional lands in the east decades earlier. The two feuding factions disagreed violently about everything, including which side to support in the Civil War.Despite uncertainty and disaffection, pro-Confederate Indians seized the initiative and organized themselves into an impressive array of regiments and battalions. But this paper army was little more than an ill-disciplined militia. Training was sketchy. Arms, ammunition, uniforms, tents, blankets, and camp equipment were in short supply. Officers and men came and went largely as they pleased. Confederate authorities recognized these weaknesses and dispatched several Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas units to the Indian Territory to bolster their Indian allies.These developments led thousands of Indians to abandon homes and livelihoods and seek refuge outside the Indian Territory. The sanctuary of choice was Kansas but the sparsely populated frontier state was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of refugees. Thousands of Indian men, women, and children huddled in tents or other makeshift shelters and suffered terribly from cold, hunger, and disease during the winter of 1861-62. Untold numbers died before effective relief measures were instituted.The first substantial clash involving Indians was part of the exodus to Kansas. Creek Chief Opothleyoholo wanted no part of a Confederate alliance and headed north with several thousand followers in late 1861. Instead of allowing the disgruntled Creeks to depart, Confederate authorities launched a relentless pursuit. A column of fast-moving Arkansas, Texas, and Cherokee troops overtook the Creeks at Chustenahlah on December 26-27. In the one-sided fight that followed, the Confederates killed hundreds of Creek men (many murdered as they lay wounded) and rounded up hundreds of women and children. Opothleyoholo and most of his people escaped into the brush and eventually made their way to Kansas. The appalling loss of life sent shock waves through the Indian Territory and deepened the animosity between pro-Union and pro-Confederate Indians. It also convinced many Indians to leave.After Chustenahlah the Confederacy seemed to have a firm grip on the Indian Territory, but everything changed a few months later when a Union army drove into northwest Arkansas. The Confederate commander, Earl Van Dorn, was desperate for manpower and ordered Pike to convince the Indians to cross into Arkansas and join his Confederate army. Pike appealed to the Indians, some of whom agreed to leave the Indian Territory if paid in advance for their services. The negotiations took so much time that only two Cherokee regiments were present at the battle of Pea Ridge on March 7-8, 1862. The Cherokees played only a marginal role in the fight but created a national scandal by scalping and mutilating fallen Union soldiers. Pea Ridge was a Union victory and the Indians returned to their homes, rattled by the scale and intensity of a pitched battle and abashed by their poor showing. Many were disillusioned by the defeat of their Confederate allies and began to question whether they were on the winning side. Confederate influence began to wane.The Indian Territory was gripped by serious turmoil in the months following Pea Ridge. In Kansas, Union commander James G. Blunt recruited disaffected refugees into the First and Second Indian Home Guard. Some people questioned the wisdom of incorporating "savages" into "civilized warfare" but Blunt believed Indians would make good soldiers. He was proved right. Union Indian regiments were handicapped to some degree by absenteeism and squabbling, but they were better armed and equipped, better trained, and probably better motivated than their Confederate counterparts. There were other differences as well. Officers in Confederate Indian units usually were Indians, while in Union regiments the field officers (colonels, majors) generally were white, as were many of the line or company officers (captains, lieutenants). As the war went on, however, Union Indians worked their way up the chain of command.The first Union incursion into the Indian Territory occurred in the summer of 1862. A sizable column that included the First and Second Indian Home Guard marched south from Kansas in an attempt to return Indian refugees to their homes. On July 3 the Federals won a small victory at Locust Grove that convinced more than a thousand Cherokees, most of whom had been at Pea Ridge, to change sides. They were formed into the Third Indian Home Guard. The swelling Union column occupied Fort Gibson but failures in leadership and logistics brought the offensive to a halt. Before returning to Kansas, the Federals arrested Cherokee Chief John Ross, who had reluctantly signed a treaty of alliance with the Confederacy the previous year, and seized the Cherokee treasury and archives. The Indian Expedition, as the operation was known, failed in its objective but demonstrated that Union forces could come and go as they pleased in the Indian Territory.Meanwhile, a new Confederate commander arrived in the Trans-Mississippi. Thomas C. Hindman was determined to revive Confederate fortunes. He had great hopes for his Indian allies, as did Douglas C. Cooper, the new Commissioner of Indian Affairs. In the late summer of 1862 Hindman and Cooper moved north from the Arkansas River with a force of Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, and Indian troops and established a foothold in the southwest corner of Missouri. Blunt rushed troops to the area and the two armies clashed at Newtonia, Missouri, on September 30-October 1, 1862. The Third Indian Home Guard fought for the Union while the First Choctaw and the Chickasaw fought for the Confederacy. At one point the opposing Indian forces engaged each other in a firefight. Newtonia was another Union victory and the Confederates again retreated.Jackson McCurtain, lieutenant colonel of the First Choctaw Battalion in Oklahoma, CSA.Blunt pursued and caught up with Cooper on October 22 at Old Fort Wayne, near Maysville on the boundary between Arkansas and the Indian Territory. The Confederates had an advantage in numbers but Blunt's aggressive tactics drove them off the field. Arkansans, Cherokees, Missourians, Choctaws, Texans, and Creeks fled in wild disorder with the Third Indian Home Guard and other Union troops in hot pursuit. The humiliating defeat cost Cooper hundreds of his men and all of his artillery. It further eroded Confederate prestige and encouraged more Indians to join the Union ranks. Blunt celebrated his victory by grouping the First, Second, and Third Indian Home Guards in a new formation he called the Indian Brigade, the only organization of its kind in the Union army.Undeterred by the fiasco at Old Fort Wayne, Hindman surged north again and fought Blunt to a draw at the battle of Prairie Grove on December 7, 1862. To Blunt's great satisfaction, the First Indian Home Guard and a portion of the Third Indian Home Guard fought alongside Kansas and Missouri regiments and acquitted themselves well. Hindman retreated and soon abandoned northwest Arkansas altogether.Blunt seized the initiative. Determined to return the thousands of Indian refugees in Kansas to their homes as soon as possible, he ordered William A. Phillips, commander of the Indian Brigade, to restore Union authority in the northern half of the Indian Territory and pave the way for resettlement. Phillips occupied Fort Gibson in April 1863. Cooper tried to drive Phillips away, but Blunt arrived with reinforcements and went after Cooper instead. On July 17, 1863, Blunt and Phillips clashed with Cooper at Honey Springs in the largest battle ever fought in the Indian Territory. All three Union Indian regiments were in the fight, but the five Confederate Indian regiments—the First and Second Cherokee, First and Second Creek, and First Choctaw and Chickasaw—played only a minor supporting role. The Confederates lost and withdrew to the south side of the Arkansas River. Blunt followed up his victory by occupying Fort Smith, Arkansas.Stand Watie. Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma LibraryStand Watie, the Confederate Cherokee commander north of the Arkansas River in the final year of the war, switched to a quasi-guerrilla style of warfare intended to disrupt Union logistics and prevent the resettlement of refugees. Watie experienced some success, notably at Second Cabin Creek on September 19, 1864, where his troops captured a large Union supply train hauling food and clothing to the refugees crowded around Fort Gibson, but his depredations had no effect on the course of the war except to increase the level of misery. Nothing of a military nature took place south of the river, so the First Choctaw and Chickasaw crossed into Arkansas and fought at Poison Spring on April 18, 1864. The battle was notable for the murder of many captured soldiers of the First Kansas Colored Infantry and some accounts blamed the Indians.The Civil War was a disaster for the people of the Indian Territory. In addition to the horrific loss of life, immense amounts of property were destroyed and agricultural production was brought to a standstill. Recriminations, feuds, and revenge killings plagued the tribes for decades. But perhaps worse of all, the United States government punished the Indians for their alliances with the Confederacy by reducing their autonomy and eventually abolishing the Indian Territory altogether.