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.