Why were Narcissa and Marcus Whitman murdered by the Cayuse Indians?
A) The Cayuse discovered that the Whitmans were supportive of the Cayuse being forcibly removed to Indian Country.
B) The Whitmans kidnapped several Cayuse children and planned to take them back to the Northeast.
C) The Cayuse interpreted a measles epidemic as being a deliberate assault on them by the Whitmans.
D) Needing food, the Whitmans killed animals that, to the Cayuse, were of spiritual significance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Cayuse interpreted a measles epidemic as being a deliberate assault on them by the Whitmans. In 1847, a measles epidemic broke out among the Cayuse living near the Whitman Mission. The Whitmans tried to treat the sick, but many Cayuse died. The Cayuse believed the Whitmans were intentionally poisoning them and, as a result, the tribe attacked and killed the Whitmans and 12 other settlers.

Why Were Narcissa and Marcus Whitman Murdered by the Cayuse