Vedika - Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Guided Notes
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Dec 6, 2023
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Uploaded by JudgeKudu1768
U.S. History - Canter
NAME:
Vedika Byakod
PER:
4
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Guided Notes
Directions:
Please complete this graphic organizer as we watch the film.
(Write Your Answers in a di±erent color font)
By 1876, most of the nation’s American Indians had been forcibly relocated to reservation land. In the Dakota Territory, Red Cloud
had settled with his people on the Great Sioux reservation - becoming wards of the government. But two other Sioux leaders,
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, saw this as a defeat and continued to live in the traditional way. Then an economic depression struck
- and gold was discovered in the Black Hills on Sioux land.
Part 1: Battle of the Little Big Horn
(1:05-8:17)
1. What was the government’s reaction to the Battle of the Little Big Horn? Compare the point of views of Senator Henry Dawes
and General William T. Sherman.
The government’s reaction to the Battle of the Little BigHorn was that the Sioux resistance and hence that justified the violence,
and they were surprised by the loss. Senator Henry Dawes believed that the Sioux were simply defending their land and that the
U.S. had no grounds to attack based on the law of the country. On the other hand, General T. Sherman was fully supportive of it
and was enraged by the Native AMericans killing so many U.S. men.
2. Evaluate Grant’s commitment to forcing the Native Americans to assimilate into white culture in order to survive. Is this a
reasonable expectation? Why or Why not?
Grant's commitment to assimilate Native Americans into white culture was part of the broader policy of assimilation during the
late 19th century. This policy aimed to integrate Native Americans into mainstream American society by removing their
traditional cultural practices. Whether this expectation was reasonable is subjective. I believe that it was a misguided attempt to
strip Native Americans of their heritage, leading to the loss of cultural identity, while they believed it was a means to help them
adapt to changing times.
3. What are the arguments made by Red Cloud against signing the treaty?
Red Cloud argued that the signing of the treaty was useless because treaties had not previously been maintained and hence there
was no trust. Red Cloud is aware that the treaty is a threat and by signing it he essentially will give up his land, but if he doesn't
sign it that many people will end up dead. Essentially, it is a lose-lose situation and he recognizes that.
4. What are the arguments made by Senator Dawes and General Miles demanding Red Cloud’s signature?
Senator Dawes and General Miles argued for the benefits of the treaty, which could include promises of protection, resources, or
the assimilation benefits they believed would come with it. They also argued that previously signed treaties also permitted the
U.S. to violate certain treaties under circumstances where they argued that Red Bull was attacking Americans. They also
threatened that if a new treaty was not signed, Red Cloud and the Sioux will perish along with it.
5. What is Dawes’ definition of civilization? What is his evaluation of the American Indians’ progress towards assimilation?
Senator Dawes' definition of civilization was that he viewed assimilation as progress toward adopting European-American
lifestyles, education, and property ownership. Assessing Native Americans' progress toward assimilation would depend on his
perspective, but it often involved expectations for them to adopt Western agricultural practices, Christianity, and English
language.
6. What do you think of Ohiyesa’s (Charles Eastman’s) story regarding how he got his name? What impact do you think such
practices have on the cultural identity of the American Indian?
I think that the story is very saddening, and it seems distressing that he was forced and threatened to change his name. I think
the impact these practices have has destroyed hundreds of years of cultural identity and are very cruel, especially with the
beating and abusiveness, to go against the wishes of what people want
7. What are the components of the Dawes Act? How did it impact the Sioux Reservation lands? Why would the Sioux not be
willing to give up their lands?
The Dawes Act of 1887 aimed to break up tribal landholdings and allocate individual plots to Native Americans. The impact on
Sioux Reservation lands included the division of communal land into individual lands, often resulting in significant loss of
territory. Many Sioux opposed the act because it threatened communal land practices, which were central to their cultural and
economic systems and because they did not think the o±er was equivalent to what their land was worth to them.
8. Despite Senator Dawes’ e±orts to work on behalf of the Native Americans, he seems confused as to why the Sioux would be
unwilling to give up their lands. Why do you think he is unable to see their point of view?
I think he is unable to see their point of view because he has never been in their shoes and does not understand their culture and
way of life, and how important that is to them, and hence just views them as savage and wild people.
9. What are the health issues faced by the Sioux on the reservation? Why are they unable to get proper care? According to
Charles Eastman, what is the one epidemic that may be most devastating to the Sioux living on the reservation?
Health issues faced by the Sioux on reservations historically included diseases, malnutrition, and inadequate healthcare. They
were unable to get proper care because the government refused to send them with the needed care. One impediment that may be
the most devastating to the Sioux living on the reservation is hopelessness.
10. What was the Ghost Dance? What did it teach?
The Ghost Dance was a religious movement among Native American communities.It was a revival ceremony to bring back
ancestors and bu±alo and gain victory over the white men. It taught them how to experience their freedom that was long
forgotten.
Part VII: Sitting Bull’s Speech (1:32:22-1:37:24)
11. Why does Sitting Bull oppose the Dawes Act? Do you think his argument has merit? Why?
Sitting Bull opposes the Dawes Act because he believes the deal is something terrible long term, the land is not su²cient for a
generation. I think his argument has merit because the government is stealing land from him and his tribe in the form of a badly
written and misused agreement
.
Part VIII: Sitting Bull’s Murder & Wounded Knee (1:45:53-1:57:33)
12. What happened at Wounded Knee? Do you think that such a tragedy could have been prevented?
Wounded Knee was a massacre that arised from the fear of the Ghost Dances that was the religious movement passing through
the Native Americans. A settlement was raided for weapons and fighting started where many Native Americans were brutally
murdered. Yes, I think a tragedy could have been avoided if the U.S. had done more research into the Ghost Dances and saw that
they were harmless. If the U.S. put in more e±ort to maintain peace with the Native Americans instead of continuing to rob them,
this massacre could have been avoided.
Final Thoughts
2
○
Henry Dawes, author of “The Dawes Allotment Act,” served in the Senate until 1893. Within
decades of the act’s passage, some 90 million acres of American Indian lands were taken and sold
to whites.
○
In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the 1876 seizure of the Black Hills violated treaties
signed with the Sioux.
○
In the majority opinion, Justice Blackmun wrote, “A more ripe and rank case of dishonorable
dealings will never, in all probability, be found in our history.”
○
But the court refused to restore the land to the Sioux, and ordered that compensation be paid
instead.
○
That award, now worth more than $600 million, remains unclaimed.
○
To date, the Sioux will not agree to surrender their claim to the Black Hills, a place they feel is
sacred.
3
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