Essay Examples on Battle of Wounded Knee Essay Example

Essay Examples on Battle of Wounded Knee Paper 1st Essay Sample on Battle of Wounded Knee The event that that ended all the wars between the Indians and America was the Battle of Wounded Knee. The battle symbolizes not only never ending battle of Indians and Americans but the end of the American frontier. The once proud Sioux found their free-roaming life ruined, the buffalo gone. They were confined to reservations dependant on Indian Agents for their survival. They tried to return to their old ways on being dependent on themselves and went to a new mysticism shaman called Wovoka. Wovoka called himself the Messiah and saidThe dead would soon join the living in a world were the Indians could live the way they use to. He explains that a tidal wave of new soil would cover the earth, bury all whites, and rebuild the prairie. The Sioux were to dance the Ghost Dance. The Ghost Dance religion made a long journey to the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota to seek protection from military capture. The dancers wore brightly colored shirts decorated with images of eagles and buffaloes. The Ghost Shirts would protect them from the American soldiers. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Battle of Wounded Knee specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Battle of Wounded Knee specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Battle of Wounded Knee specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer During the fall of 1890, the Ghost Dance spread through the Sioux villages of the Dakota reservations, stimulating the Sioux to be less afraid of the white men. The whites on the other hand, wanted to be protected. A worried Indian Agent at Pine Ridge telegraph his superiors in Washington, The leaders should be arrested and confined at some military post until the matter is quieted, and this should be done now. The order went out to arrest Chief Sitting Bull at the Standing Rock Reservation. Sitting Bull was killed in the attempt on December 15, 1890. Chief Big Foot was next to be arrested. When Big Foot heard Sitting Bull dies, he led his people to Pine Ridge Reservation. The army captured the tribe on December 28 and brought them to the skirts of the Wounded Knee Creek to the base camp. 2nd Essay Sample on Battle of Wounded Knee On the morning of December 29, 1890, the Sioux chief Big Foot and some 350 of his followers camped on the banks of Wounded Knee creek. Surrounding their camp was a force of US troops charged with the responsibility of arresting Big Foot and disarming his warriors. The scene was tense. Trouble had been brewing for months. The Battle at Wounded Knee was in part result of the growing support if the Ghost Dance religion. Founded by, a Paige Indian religious leader, the religion rapidly gained many followers though the Plains Indians. The belief of the Ghost Dance religion was the hope of returning to theold days?. It was taught that God would restore the Indian world to the way it was before the Americans arrived. With this praise, the Indians felt as though they were bring back there ancestors and the buffalo which were killed some of the Americans. The army leaders feared that this religion would lead to upraising with the Indians so they called in troops to kept things under control. To control that area of the Indians, the Americans sent in General Nelson A. Miles and Agent James McLaughlin with an army of over 5,000 soldiers. Agent McLaughlin was [mistakenly] reporting that ‘this new religion was reported from the beginning and that it seem impossible that any person, no matter how ignorant, could be brought to believe such absurd nonsense?. On Dec 14,1890 having received word that Sitting Bull was determined to visit the Pine Ridge Agency south of standing rock, McLaughlin had him arrested immediately. During the arrest, Siting Bull began to protest. His followers, having heard his shouts began to act. One of them fired a shout a officer arresting Sitting Bull. As the shot began to fell in death he was able to fire one shout hitting Sitting Bull. Gunfire erupted, taking the lives of Sitting Bull, 6 policemen and eight of Sitting Bulls followers.