Final answer:
Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe pledged to end conflict and surrender to U.S. forces, hoping to spare his people further suffering after a long and punishing retreat in 1877, which ended just short of the Canadian border.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chief Joseph, the leader of the Nez Perce tribe, is widely remembered for his capitulation speech in 1877, after attempts to flee to Canada with his people to escape conflict with the United States government failed. Just short of reaching the Canadian border and after enduring a harrowing journey, Chief Joseph pledged to "fight no more forever," effectively surrendering to the U.S. forces in hope that it would spare his people from further suffering.
This surrender followed a series of tragic events where many of the Nez Perce were killed or died due to harsh conditions, including influential leaders such as Looking Glass and Ta Hool Hool Shute. Despite his pledge for peace, the Nez Perce were ultimately relocated to Oklahoma, far from their ancestral homelands in the Wallowa River Valley of Oregon. Chief Joseph's speech symbolized the loss and the deep sadness of his people and has remained a poignant reminder of the consequences of the forced relocation of Native American tribes.