Greed, misunderstanding, and resentment characterized the relationship between early white settlers moving west and the Native American peoples of the Great Plains. As whites delved further into western territory, the U.S. government attempted to quell Native Americans' fears by signing treaties with various tribes, guaranteeing their rights and freedoms. However, almost every treaty was eventually broken by the settlers and the army, leading to distrust. The series of bloody confrontations that ensued was known as the Plains Indian wars.