by Beverly Cook

Created on: January 05, 2009

The events that led to the Battle at Wounded Knee Creek were broken treaties, Ghost Dancers, soldiers, settlers, fights, and the American Government. The American Government had made and broken many treaties with the Native American and the Siouz Indian was no different. Over eight million acres was deeded to thee Native Sioux if they would quit fighting, take up the American way of living and live peaceably on the land deeded to them which was called a reservation. They in return would have plenty of beef and other staples to live on furnished by the U. S. Government. The Indian would be taught to farm and he would live in real houses, and by his clothing needs. He would no longer need the buffalo to fulfill his life. They government thought they were doing the Indian a favor.

At first the Indian took the government at their word when they were asked to sign the treaties. The government gave and broke the treaty contents as they saw fit. When the pioneer wanted to move west and settle new lands after people had scouted the land in the west and told of its great riches, not only in soil for crops, but for raising livestock and the never ending lure of Gold. When land was opened up for settling the Sioux reservation had good land in it, and the white man wanted it. Gold was also found in the badlands, that of course drew men to the Sioux reservation like magnets. The treaty with the Sioux was renegotiated. The result was there were five small reservations, with about fifty miles of land in between that the whites could have. This angered the red man with just cause, because he land became smaller. He had never known boundaries before this and was free to roam when he pleased and where he pleased.

There had been fights and skirmishes between the soldiers and the Native American. The red man didn't feel as if he had to adhere to the white man rules so they went off the reservation when they wanted to. the soldiers took chase and brought them back. After many such chases the chief called Crazy Horse was leading his tribe to the reservation to live permanently. He was injured in a fight with the soldiers and his brother Big Foot took over. The soldiers were disarming the Indians, when an old deaf man by the name of Black Coyote had not understood the order from the soldiers, and before any of his tribe could translate Black Coyote set his gun down butt first and it went off. This started the entire massacre. Soldiers were shooting randomly at anything and everything.

When the battle was over the record was 300 dead among the Siouxand 29 soldiers. The soldeirs had been mostly killed by bullets and scrappnell from friendly fire. It was a maassacre indeed.

This was the last major battle between the Indian and the American soldier. Americans had at last got a glimpse of what had really been happening to the Native American by the hands of the American Government.

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