Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Movie Guide

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Movie Guide Main Characters Tatanka Iyotanka Henry Dawes Ohiyesa Elaine Goodale Nelson Miles (Sitting Bull) (Charles Eastman) Other Characters (Bear Coat) George Armstrong Custer Places • • • Little Big Horn Dakota Territories Black Hills Pine Ridge Wounded Knee Terms • • Lakota Sioux Crow Paiute Assimilation Dawes Act Ghost Dance Reservation Northern Pacific Railroad • Buffalo “Great Father” Buffalo Bill Cody Wovoka Makhpiya Luta (Jack Wilson) (Red Cloud) Gen. William T. Sherman Crazy Horse

Classroom Discussion Questions 1) Why did the U. S. government “give” the Sioux the Black Hills, only to take away much of the land later on? 2) How was Canadian Indian policy different from U. S. Indian policy? 3) How did U. S. Indian policy change in the late 1800 s? What were the consequences of these changes? 4) What methods did the U. S. government use to carry out its assimilation policy? 5) What challenges prevented the Sioux from being able to keep their land? 6) Why couldn’t the Sioux thrive on reservations? 7) What role did the Ghost Dance play in Sioux culture? What were its consequences? 8) How is Eastman caught between two cultures? Sitting Bull? 9) What is the significance of the railroad dream? The feather? The cross? 10) How would you describe the film’s portrayal of Native Americans? Romantic? As “savages”? Honest? Regular people? Quotes “Every man is a chief. ” –Sioux Agency “Have you no idea the efforts I have expended on your behalf? ” –Senator Henry Dawes “There is no word in the Sioux language for that, sir: to own the land. ” -Charles Eastman “It would be an honor for me to take more of your money. ” -Sitting Bull “The mistakes of the past are in the past. ” -Senator Henry Dawes “The white man will not see my mark again on his paper for the rest of my days on this earth. ” -Red Cloud “I very nearly jumped. ” -Charles Eastman “We have always feared your guns the least. ” -Red Cloud “Bury my heart at Wounded Knee. ”