The Ghost Dance was a spiritual movement among Native Americans that sought to restore their ancestral ways and bring about a renewal of life free from European influence. As the movement gained momentum in the late 1880s, it heightened tensions between Native Americans and U.S. authorities, who viewed it as a threat to their control. The U.S. government's fear of a potential uprising led to increased military presence, culminating in the tragic events at Wounded Knee in December 1890, where troops confronted Sioux leaders, resulting in a violent massacre. The Ghost Dance served as both a symbol of hope for Native Americans and a catalyst for the aggressive response from the government.
Wounded Knee
In Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.
The Lakota leader arrested by the U.S. Army during the Ghost Dance movement was Sitting Bull. He was a prominent figure advocating for Native American rights and the revival of traditional spiritual practices. His arrest in December 1890 was part of a broader government crackdown on the Ghost Dance, which aimed to restore Native American culture and way of life. This event ultimately led to the tragic Wounded Knee Massacre shortly after his death.
The Ghost Dance movement began in the late 19th century among Native American tribes, particularly the Paiute in Nevada, following a vision by a prophet named Wovoka. He claimed that performing the dance would reunite the living with the spirits of the dead and bring about a time of peace and prosperity, free from the oppression of settlers. This spiritual revival aimed to restore Native American cultural identity and bring back the buffalo, representing a hope for a better future amid widespread suffering and loss due to colonization. The movement spread across various tribes, leading to significant events such as the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890.
The Ghost Dance was a religious revival movement led by Wovoka, a Northern Paiute holy man. The Ghost Dance united Plains Indian tribes and gave them hope and faith that the whites would leave and the Buffalo would return.
The ghost dance
Wounded Knee
the Ghost Dance
The Battle of Wounded Knee brought to an end to the Ghost Dance that was performed by many Native American tribes.
The Wounded Knee Massacre of December 29, 1890 ended the Ghost Dance movement. It also ended organized resistance by Native Americans.
The American government didn't like the natives dancesthey out lawed the sun dance. The natives kept on dancing but now the ghost dance this was viewed as breaking the treaty causing the battle of wounded knee
Battle of Wounded Knee
Battle of Wounded Knee
A number of different ceremonies, but the one which caused the massacre at Wounded Knee was The Ghost Dance
Sitting bull
Sitting bull
Sitting Bull