The Battle of Wounded Knee was a historical battle in American Indian History. It was the last battle that would bring the end to the American Indian Wars and become a massacre in the process. That final battle would end up killing about 150-200 Sioux Indians and 25 white Soldiers. Those deaths along with the battle could’ve been avoided.
On December 29, 1890 the Battle of Wounded Knee occurred on the campground along Wounded Knee Creek. The reason the camp was invaded was in hopes to end the Ghost Dance Movement. To gain control of the Indians again the White men entered the Sioux camp that was set up next to Wounded Knee Creek. The Ghost Dance Movement was the belief that the dead would be resurrected and the land would be made new and extinct the white man and in the process empowering the Indians. It would also return the existence of the Buffalo, which to the Indians were their main necessity. Every part of the buffalo could be used, their meat for food, bones for tools, fur for cloth, clothing, and bedding. Along with the return of the buffalo there was the belief in the return of their “Ancestral Customs “free from misery, death, and disease.”[1] It was named The Ghost Dance Movement because it lead to a dance which was brought about to accelerate these events actually happening. “They wore brightly colored shirts emblazoned with images of eagles and buffaloes. These ‘Ghost Shirts’ they believed would protect them from the bluecoats bullets.” [2] A “Messiah” prophesied the Ghost Dance Movement. He went by the name of Wovoka who had claimed he received a spiritual vision of hope. Wovoka was from a different reservation in Arizona, which shows how strong and far the movement had spread. The strongest part of the movement ended up being in Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota where later the Battle of Wounded Knee would occur. The Ghost dance was spreading throughout the country, which put fear into the white men. Because of that fear a message was sent to superiors in Washington saying that the Indians were dancing and uncontrollable. Saying that they needed protection and backup if the government wanted to keep the Indians in their place, the soldiers feared an uprising. Although, that fear wasn’t just in Pine Ridge on that December day, it really started with a different leader on December 15th. In actuality the hostility between the Indians and the White men started in the late 1800’s when in order to make room for themselves, the government order the Indians onto specific pieces of land. Those pieces of land were made just to be for the Indians to stay there, that place was The Great Sioux Reservation and it was established by a treaty in 1868. One of the Sioux leaders called Sitting Bull was the first leader to encourage and guide thousands of Sioux Indians out of that reservation and across the country. Sitting Bull was the leader that was captured and arrested for his disobedience on December 15th. That upset quite a few of the Sioux men and they came to Sitting Bulls defense, which ended up in an exchange of gunfire, which killed men from both sides, including Sitting Bull. From that moment on and even before that there has always been conflict between the Indians and White men so it was no surprise that the Battle of Wounded Knee occurred.
The white soldiers entered the camp on December 29, 1980 and the environment immediately became hostile. They were order to confiscate all weapons or anything that could potentially be a threat towards them. When one of the white soldiers tried to seize one of the Indians guns the Indian didn’t want to give it up. What the White men didn’t understand was the Indian didn’t want to give the gun up because he was deaf and didn’t understand what was happening. Resisting to give up the gun made the white soldier upset and grab for the gun causing it to go off and from the moment of that first shot the battle was on. Many of the Indians tried to flee and avoid being caught in the crossfire but the battle continued as the white men chased after those fleeing and ultimately not only killing the men involved but many women, children and even the current chief Big Foot in the process. In the end about 150-200 Sioux Indians died and only 25 White soldiers died. Those deaths and all the deaths caused by the American Indian Wars caused the Indian population to fall to 250,000, which is the lowest it has ever been in history. The battle that day would forever be a memorable battle in U.S History but a huge impact and moment in the history of the Indians.
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[1] Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History, (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012), 608
[2]Tiffany, Wayne. Education Portal, "Massacre at Wounded Knee." Accessed March 5, 2014. http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/massacre-at-wounded-knee-summary-history-quiz.html
On December 29, 1890 the Battle of Wounded Knee occurred on the campground along Wounded Knee Creek. The reason the camp was invaded was in hopes to end the Ghost Dance Movement. To gain control of the Indians again the White men entered the Sioux camp that was set up next to Wounded Knee Creek. The Ghost Dance Movement was the belief that the dead would be resurrected and the land would be made new and extinct the white man and in the process empowering the Indians. It would also return the existence of the Buffalo, which to the Indians were their main necessity. Every part of the buffalo could be used, their meat for food, bones for tools, fur for cloth, clothing, and bedding. Along with the return of the buffalo there was the belief in the return of their “Ancestral Customs “free from misery, death, and disease.”[1] It was named The Ghost Dance Movement because it lead to a dance which was brought about to accelerate these events actually happening. “They wore brightly colored shirts emblazoned with images of eagles and buffaloes. These ‘Ghost Shirts’ they believed would protect them from the bluecoats bullets.” [2] A “Messiah” prophesied the Ghost Dance Movement. He went by the name of Wovoka who had claimed he received a spiritual vision of hope. Wovoka was from a different reservation in Arizona, which shows how strong and far the movement had spread. The strongest part of the movement ended up being in Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota where later the Battle of Wounded Knee would occur. The Ghost dance was spreading throughout the country, which put fear into the white men. Because of that fear a message was sent to superiors in Washington saying that the Indians were dancing and uncontrollable. Saying that they needed protection and backup if the government wanted to keep the Indians in their place, the soldiers feared an uprising. Although, that fear wasn’t just in Pine Ridge on that December day, it really started with a different leader on December 15th. In actuality the hostility between the Indians and the White men started in the late 1800’s when in order to make room for themselves, the government order the Indians onto specific pieces of land. Those pieces of land were made just to be for the Indians to stay there, that place was The Great Sioux Reservation and it was established by a treaty in 1868. One of the Sioux leaders called Sitting Bull was the first leader to encourage and guide thousands of Sioux Indians out of that reservation and across the country. Sitting Bull was the leader that was captured and arrested for his disobedience on December 15th. That upset quite a few of the Sioux men and they came to Sitting Bulls defense, which ended up in an exchange of gunfire, which killed men from both sides, including Sitting Bull. From that moment on and even before that there has always been conflict between the Indians and White men so it was no surprise that the Battle of Wounded Knee occurred.
The white soldiers entered the camp on December 29, 1980 and the environment immediately became hostile. They were order to confiscate all weapons or anything that could potentially be a threat towards them. When one of the white soldiers tried to seize one of the Indians guns the Indian didn’t want to give it up. What the White men didn’t understand was the Indian didn’t want to give the gun up because he was deaf and didn’t understand what was happening. Resisting to give up the gun made the white soldier upset and grab for the gun causing it to go off and from the moment of that first shot the battle was on. Many of the Indians tried to flee and avoid being caught in the crossfire but the battle continued as the white men chased after those fleeing and ultimately not only killing the men involved but many women, children and even the current chief Big Foot in the process. In the end about 150-200 Sioux Indians died and only 25 White soldiers died. Those deaths and all the deaths caused by the American Indian Wars caused the Indian population to fall to 250,000, which is the lowest it has ever been in history. The battle that day would forever be a memorable battle in U.S History but a huge impact and moment in the history of the Indians.
________________________________________________________________________________
[1] Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History, (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012), 608
[2]Tiffany, Wayne. Education Portal, "Massacre at Wounded Knee." Accessed March 5, 2014. http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/massacre-at-wounded-knee-summary-history-quiz.html