Overview
30,000 years ago the Sioux Indians came from Asia to North America. These Indians stood out quite well in America due to their long, straight jet-black hair. The Sioux were generally nomadic; they would travel place to place knowing that they had the resources they needed to survive. This tribe was clever; they followed the pattern of the buffalo, meaning there would always be clothing and food wherever they traveled. [1]
The men had strong warrior skills especially after the Spanish introduced them to horses. Since then, life became easier; they had an easier way of transportation. They became more civilized and also had designated chiefs to guide them on the aspects of life, war, rules, and medicine. After all the improvements, they were not considered a weak tribe anymore.[1]
Everything has been good for the Sioux; however, once the 1860’s came around, the fight over land has increased. The battles got intense against the Whites to keep their land. Eventually, the United States signed a treaty allowing the Indians to keep a portion of the land.
Once the Gold Rush took place, there has been a series of tragic and fatal battles and massacres known as the Seven Years War, also known as the American Indian War. Unfortunately, at the end of year 1890, the largest massacre occurred to the Sioux Indians. This massacre occurred during the Battle of Wounded Knee, killing about 150-200 Sioux Indians. Most of these deaths were women and children, making nearly half of the Sioux tribe demolished. [1]
The Battle of Wounded Knee occurred near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota while the Indians were gathered for a special occasion known as the Ghost Dance. The Ghost Dance is “a religious revitalization campaign reminiscent of the pan-Indian movements led by earlier prophets…It’s leaders foretold a day when whites disappear, the buffalo would return, and Indians could once again practice their ancestral customs ‘free from misery, death, and disease’ ” [2]. On this day many Indians gathered for the religious event of singing, dancing, and praying. The large number of Indians gathering frightened the government assuming trouble. The government sent troops to the gathering due to fear. Once the troops got there, they opened fire on the Ghost Dancers.This marked the end of the war between the Native Americans and the Whites. By 1900, the population of the Indians fell to 250,000, the lowest point in American history. [2]
The Bureau of Indian Affairs became focused majorly on Indian relocation during the war. Basically the result of the battles between the United States troops and the Indians were always tragic on the Indian’s side. The Bureau of Indian Affairs was meant to protect the Native Americans; however, this did not have a clear and direct law about their land so their land was abused by white settlers often. Corruption of this was so large that members of the Bureau of Indian Affairs were bribed to purposely move Native Americans out of a specific land so it can become available. This only made the Native Americans more furious at the whites. One of the policies that were employed to control the movement of Native Americans is a Concentration Policy, which was made in 1861 to restrict Native Americans into even smaller areas. [3]
There have been more than 500 treaties broken between the United States government and the Sioux Indians in the time of the Seven Years War, American Indian War. The Wounded Knee Massacre is the final war between the Native Americans and the United States. There were so many multiple treaties that were not followed. These broken documents gave unfair and controlling rules to the Indians and their land; but, the United States government still took advantage and did not give any good to them. This gave no control over what the Natives agreed to; they could not preserve their lands. The government claimed to always watch over the tribe because they were “scared” due to large gatherings. However, these gatherings were harmless and had nothing to do with dangerous uprisings or attacks especially on the United States. Government. After all the broken promises and pointless attacks, the United States government was not harmed or negatively affected in anyway, but, on the other hand, the Indians suffered from a tragic and dramatic change in their personal and public lives. [3]
There are three overwhelming bigotries between the United States government and the Indians. The Fort Laramie Treaty was constantly violated. This treaty marked the boundaries of the Lakota Nation in South Dakota where the Plains Indians had been relocated to, and it also said that the Black Hills territory is owned by the Sioux tribe. Since this treaty had been ignored constantly, it made the tribes have a difficult lifestyle. They could not stay in one place without getting into a deadly battle with the United States troops. [3] Another example of never having a secure place to stay was when the Indian Removal Act of 1830 was passed. These actions lead to the Trail of Tears, which is known for the tragic deaths along the process of finding new land to stay. [3] The other violation of Indian rights was when white settlers forcefully took the land of the tribes to build railroads of their own use.
The Indians never had a fair fight.
[1] The American Indian Heritage Foundation, "Sioux Indians." Last modified 2014. Accessed February 19, 2014. http://indians.org/.
[2] Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History, (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012), 608
[3] History, "Wounded Knee." Last modified 2014. Accessed March 1, 2014. http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/wounded-knee.
The men had strong warrior skills especially after the Spanish introduced them to horses. Since then, life became easier; they had an easier way of transportation. They became more civilized and also had designated chiefs to guide them on the aspects of life, war, rules, and medicine. After all the improvements, they were not considered a weak tribe anymore.[1]
Everything has been good for the Sioux; however, once the 1860’s came around, the fight over land has increased. The battles got intense against the Whites to keep their land. Eventually, the United States signed a treaty allowing the Indians to keep a portion of the land.
Once the Gold Rush took place, there has been a series of tragic and fatal battles and massacres known as the Seven Years War, also known as the American Indian War. Unfortunately, at the end of year 1890, the largest massacre occurred to the Sioux Indians. This massacre occurred during the Battle of Wounded Knee, killing about 150-200 Sioux Indians. Most of these deaths were women and children, making nearly half of the Sioux tribe demolished. [1]
The Battle of Wounded Knee occurred near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota while the Indians were gathered for a special occasion known as the Ghost Dance. The Ghost Dance is “a religious revitalization campaign reminiscent of the pan-Indian movements led by earlier prophets…It’s leaders foretold a day when whites disappear, the buffalo would return, and Indians could once again practice their ancestral customs ‘free from misery, death, and disease’ ” [2]. On this day many Indians gathered for the religious event of singing, dancing, and praying. The large number of Indians gathering frightened the government assuming trouble. The government sent troops to the gathering due to fear. Once the troops got there, they opened fire on the Ghost Dancers.This marked the end of the war between the Native Americans and the Whites. By 1900, the population of the Indians fell to 250,000, the lowest point in American history. [2]
The Bureau of Indian Affairs became focused majorly on Indian relocation during the war. Basically the result of the battles between the United States troops and the Indians were always tragic on the Indian’s side. The Bureau of Indian Affairs was meant to protect the Native Americans; however, this did not have a clear and direct law about their land so their land was abused by white settlers often. Corruption of this was so large that members of the Bureau of Indian Affairs were bribed to purposely move Native Americans out of a specific land so it can become available. This only made the Native Americans more furious at the whites. One of the policies that were employed to control the movement of Native Americans is a Concentration Policy, which was made in 1861 to restrict Native Americans into even smaller areas. [3]
There have been more than 500 treaties broken between the United States government and the Sioux Indians in the time of the Seven Years War, American Indian War. The Wounded Knee Massacre is the final war between the Native Americans and the United States. There were so many multiple treaties that were not followed. These broken documents gave unfair and controlling rules to the Indians and their land; but, the United States government still took advantage and did not give any good to them. This gave no control over what the Natives agreed to; they could not preserve their lands. The government claimed to always watch over the tribe because they were “scared” due to large gatherings. However, these gatherings were harmless and had nothing to do with dangerous uprisings or attacks especially on the United States. Government. After all the broken promises and pointless attacks, the United States government was not harmed or negatively affected in anyway, but, on the other hand, the Indians suffered from a tragic and dramatic change in their personal and public lives. [3]
There are three overwhelming bigotries between the United States government and the Indians. The Fort Laramie Treaty was constantly violated. This treaty marked the boundaries of the Lakota Nation in South Dakota where the Plains Indians had been relocated to, and it also said that the Black Hills territory is owned by the Sioux tribe. Since this treaty had been ignored constantly, it made the tribes have a difficult lifestyle. They could not stay in one place without getting into a deadly battle with the United States troops. [3] Another example of never having a secure place to stay was when the Indian Removal Act of 1830 was passed. These actions lead to the Trail of Tears, which is known for the tragic deaths along the process of finding new land to stay. [3] The other violation of Indian rights was when white settlers forcefully took the land of the tribes to build railroads of their own use.
The Indians never had a fair fight.
[1] The American Indian Heritage Foundation, "Sioux Indians." Last modified 2014. Accessed February 19, 2014. http://indians.org/.
[2] Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History, (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012), 608
[3] History, "Wounded Knee." Last modified 2014. Accessed March 1, 2014. http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/wounded-knee.