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The Tragic History of Native Americans
Jan 9, 2025
The Indian Struggle in 1890
Living Conditions of Native Americans
By 1890, no Indian people in the West lived freely on their own land.
Reservations were being broken up under the Dawes Act.
Congress cut appropriations, and rations were reduced.
There were epidemics like measles, influenza, and whooping cough.
Sitting Bull and the Lakota
Sitting Bull, a Lakota medicine man, was respected for his visions.
The Lakota were divided, struggling to adapt to the white man's world.
Sitting Bull had a vision of dying at the hands of his own people.
The Ghost Dance Movement
Introduced by Kicking Bear and prophet Wavoka.
Aimed to bring hope: the whites would vanish, and buffalo would return.
Involved purification, forswearing alcohol and violence, and dancing in a circle.
Skepticism and Acceptance
Sitting Bull was skeptical but allowed the Ghost Dance at Standing Rock.
Dancers wore special shirts believed to be stronger than bullets.
Escalation of Tensions
Reports of "wild and crazy" Indians dancing led to fear among whites.
General Nelson A. Miles was dispatched with 5,000 troops.
Arrest and Death of Sitting Bull
Rumors of Sitting Bull joining Ghost Dancers led to his arrest.
A confrontation led to Sitting Bull's death by a Lakota policeman.
Aftermath and Movement of Lakota
Followers of Sitting Bull fled to join Chief Bigfoot.
Bigfoot sought reconciliation but misunderstood by General Miles.
Wounded Knee Massacre
Bigfoot's band intercepted by the 7th Cavalry under Colonel Forsyth.
Camped at Wounded Knee Creek, surrounded by soldiers.
Tensions led to a massacre where 250 Lakota and 25 soldiers died.
Legacy of Wounded Knee
Aftermath involved taking wounded to a church for treatment.
The massacre marked a tragic end to the Ghost Dance movement.
Personal Accounts
Testimonies describe the sadness and fear experienced by the Lakota, notably through stories from Sitting Bull's camp.
The massacre affected both Native Americans and soldiers alike, reflecting the deep tragedy of these events.
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