Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Background and

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Background and the Ghost Dance Broken treaties, loss of the bison, encroachment from white settlers all led to unrest on Indian reservations. � Ghost Dance : promised the return of the bison, retreat of the white man, and Indian control over the earth. � • Movement spread amongst Indian tribes.

Prelude to Battle � European Americans were alarmed by the sight of the many Great Basin and Plains tribes performing the Ghost Dance, worried that it might be a prelude to armed attack. � Military sent in men to arrest tribal chiefs.

Wounded Knee � Military surrounded Lakota camp, ordering their surrender. “scuffle occurred between one warrior who had [a] rifle in his hand two soldiers. The rifle was discharged and a battle occurred, not only the warriors but the sick Chief Spotted Elk, and a large number of women and children who tried to escape by running and scattering over the prairie were hunted down and killed. “ – General Nelson Miles

Reservations Today

�Income, employment, and educational attainment in these areas are considerably lower than national averages.

Reservation Location Poverty Rate (Families with Children) Navajo Indian Reservation Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah 46. 5 42. 9 Uintah and Ouray Utah Indian Reservation 54. 4 20. 2 Tohono O'odham Arizona Indian Reservation 44. 3 46. 4 Cheyenne River South Dakota Indian Reservation 42. 3 38. 5 Standing Rock South Dakota and Indian Reservation North Dakota 41. 2 40. 8 Crow Indian Reservation Montana 31. 5 30. 5 Wind River Indian Reservation Wyoming 22. 6 20. 9 South Dakota 52. 8 53. 5 Montana 38. 5 35. 3 Arizona 52. 6 50. 8 9. 2 12. 4 Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Fort Peck Indian Reservation San Carlos Indian Reservation National Average Poverty Rate (Individuals) Figures from the 2000 census.

Indian Casinos