In the 1800s the Native American tribe the Sioux was suffering from poverty, hunger, and disease, which in turn led them to the need of revitalization and remaking. In early 1889 a Paiute shaman, Wovoka (Son of the mystic, Tavibo, whose teachings had influenced the new religion of Christianity) encountered a vision that Christ would soon return to the earth yet again, and received warnings about the white men and their wicked ways.
So the rehabilitation and revitalization came in the form of the ghost dance. The Federal Bureau of Indian affairs had outlawed this sacred ritual but the Natives persisted. The Government agent, James McLaughlin, had observed the dance and described it as an “Absurd craze” and “disgusting, indecent, and demoralizing”. The government was worried that the Ghost dance would spark some type of uprising amongst the Native Americans. Reservation agents had described it as “wild and crazy”. So the government took action and attempted to ban the dance. This was not a successful attempt, so brute force was required.
This brute force consisted of the Seventh Calvary, 5,000 men, and in command was General Nelson Miles. Before any attack was endured the regiment sent out a group of Indian police to arrest Sitting Bull for promoting and gesturing the Ghost Dance. On December 15, 1890 the Indian Police made an attempt to take custody of sitting bull. The attempt was foiled when some of the members of the tribe tried to protect their chief, but in the end, Sitting Bull was killed in the struggle
So the rehabilitation and revitalization came in the form of the ghost dance. The Federal Bureau of Indian affairs had outlawed this sacred ritual but the Natives persisted. The Government agent, James McLaughlin, had observed the dance and described it as an “Absurd craze” and “disgusting, indecent, and demoralizing”. The government was worried that the Ghost dance would spark some type of uprising amongst the Native Americans. Reservation agents had described it as “wild and crazy”. So the government took action and attempted to ban the dance. This was not a successful attempt, so brute force was required.
This brute force consisted of the Seventh Calvary, 5,000 men, and in command was General Nelson Miles. Before any attack was endured the regiment sent out a group of Indian police to arrest Sitting Bull for promoting and gesturing the Ghost Dance. On December 15, 1890 the Indian Police made an attempt to take custody of sitting bull. The attempt was foiled when some of the members of the tribe tried to protect their chief, but in the end, Sitting Bull was killed in the struggle
After their chief dies, the people of the Lakota Sioux fled to Spotted Elks (Big Foot) in the Pine Ridge Reservation, but the 7th Calvary intercepted the Sioux before they reached the reservation and brought them back to their camp at Wounded Creek on December 28.The place where Spotted Elk stated that he would surrender peacefully. Because of the harsh conditions and whether, Spotted Elk had pneumonia and was dying. While at Wounded Knee Creek camp the soldiers proceeded to disarm the Sioux and they showed no inclination to fight, after having been disarmed and being parted from prized possessions. But one member resisted to be disarmed. This members name was Black Coyote and was considered crazy by many other Members of the Sioux. As the shot rang the Massacre had begun. The Hotchkiss Machine guns opened fire upon the camp and immediately mowed down the Tribe. Some of the Native Americans fought, but most were caught up in the confusion and gunfire. Some of the members tried to escape but were pursued and soon killed. Bodies were found two miles away from the camp, bodies of men, women and even children. But both the soldiers and the Indians undoubtedly took the lives of their own sides in the confusion.
