Thursday, October 31, 2013

Standard Native American Gender Roles (Katie An)

In any society, the positions that men and women hold, will affect the way that each gender is treated. For example, if the women only does the housework, and the man brings in the money and is viewed as the superior, the women will not be treated as equals. They also probably will not be appreciated as much. Typically, for the European Settlers, this is how their society was structured. The Native Americans on the other hand, structured theirs completely different. For the most part, the women did everything, and in the tribe, the men and the women were viewed as equals.
In the Native American society, women gathered materials for the family, built the home for the family, many women were believed to be the superior doctors, and there were many other small things that women were responsible for. Women would have built and maintained the houses, hunted buffalo, gathered firewood, cooked food, repaired clothing, made tools and weapons, made blankets, baskets, and pottery. In some tribes, such as the Pawnees and Omahas, women also had some power that other women in their time did not have. They almost always decided where to camp on bison hunts. Though there was often lots of polygamy in these tribes, the senior wife made all of the decisions. Finally, women could divorce unkind men and since the women owned the houses, the men would be homeless.




The men in the Native American society were the warriors. They too would hunt for buffalo and bison. They also cut down trees to clear land for houses to be made. Often times they would fish as well to get food for their family. Men were often doctors as well. he men doctors were not the favorite of the society though, because women were thought to have a healing touch. Though it seems as if the women in the society do more, the men and women’s responsibilities were equally important to the functioning of the tribe. Not only was this though, but it was believed too. Men treated women as equals; women treated men as equals.

“The men seemed to have all of the power; the women seemed to do all of the work” (plainshumanities.) This statement is the way that many outsiders viewed the Native American culture. To an extent, it is true, but for the most part, it is not. Yes, the women do the majority of the work, but they also have some power. Even though the women had some power for their work, this still did not change the European American’s view of their society. European Settlers though that women should be sheltered and protected from the real world. When they saw how “unsheltered” and “unprotected” these women were, they were not ok with it. There was occasionally tension between the settlers and the natives because of the difference in gender roles between the two societies. Some have argued that tensions got so bad between the two societies at one point, that American and Canadian officials attempted to force European standard gender roles onto the Native Americans. They argue that the laws would have stated that men had to be farmers and blacksmiths and that women were to be housewives. No documentation of such an effort has been found though.

Today, more Native American women still graduate from high school and college than Native American men. Though the women no longer build the houses, for the most part, the mutual respect and division of responsibilities has been carried into the modern day Native American culture.




Works Cited

August, Robin. "Native American Gender Roles in Maryland." UMBC. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. <http://www.umbc.edu/che/tahlessons/pdf/Native_American_Gender_Roles_in_Maryland(PrinterFriendly).pdf>.
Boxer, Andrew. "Native Americans and the Federal Government." History Today. History Today, 2012. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://www.historytoday.com/andrew-boxer/native-americans-and-federal-government>.
Hallam, Jennifer. "Men, Women, and Gender." Slavery and the Making of America. PBS, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/experience/gender/history.html>.
"Native American Culture." History Study Center. ProQuest, 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 
     2013. <http://www.historystudycenter.com/search/ 
     displayMultiResultStudyunitItem.do?Multi=yes&ResultsID=14174EB687C&fromPage=searc 
     h&ItemNumber=1&QueryName=studyunit>. 
"Native American Gender Roles." Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. Ed. David J. Wishart. University of Nebraska Lincoln, 2011. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. <http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.gen.026>.
Native American (Indian) Women: A Call for Research
Beatrice Medicine
Anthropology & Education Quarterly , Vol. 19, No. 2, Women, Culture, and Education (Jun., 1988), pp. 86-92
Published by: Wiley on behalf of the American Anthropological Association
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3211079

"Native American Women." Indians.org. The American Indian Heritage Foundation, 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. <http://www.indians.org/articles/native-american-women.html>.



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The use of Native Americans as Mascots
"Black Hawk Controversy"
-Caroline Webster

An overall repeating theme throughout American history has enforced the subject of Native Americans and labeling to be inspected. The authenticity and reality about the fist nations Native Americans is now being questioned. How will later societies view Native Americans in the future because of the scrutiny and labeling that we have caused the tribes? If there is not a true representative logo that connects with the past I agree that changes need to be made unless a true symbolic meaning is behind the logo.

Today’s society discourages the naming of Native American nicknames that are based off of a deeper meaning. The internal rising conflict that has developed over many years is the fact that these nicknames are an offence to Native American tribes. Sports teams such as the Washington Redskins however cannot and shouldn’t be compared to a team such as the Chicago Blackhawks. The reasoning behind the Blackhawk’s dodging protests is that their name is based off a specific person instead of an entire tribe. The community of Chicago shows respect for Black Hawk. Lorado Taft, a sculptor in the community sculpted a 50 foot statue for remembrance of Black Hawk, the vanished still remains a symbol of strength for the community. “Respectful and proud” is what Jay Blunk describes his team logo. The complete nickname comes from the founder’s military division, which brings it even more power and reasoning. The actual Blackhawks mascot is a cartoon black hawk, with the logo on the front. It would be different if the mascot was an Indian. A hawk is also symbolic symbolizing a freed soul after death. Putting these two theory’s together make the logo even more respectful. Black Hawk was definitely the type of respected leader

Black Hawk was a Native American seen by white Americans as a symbol of courage showing nobility for his tribe, he was looked up to by many white Americans. The history of the nickname started in world war 1, “Black Hawk” was given to the “Black Hawk Division” a division of the 333rd machine gun battalion of the 86th infantry division. In my opinion a sports team such as the Chicago Blackhawks base their team name off of deeper situations and symbolism. The true meaning of the Blackhawks goes deeper than being named straight from the Indian tribe itself it was named after the “Black Hawk Division”, this however still shows respect for Black Hawk and the Indian tribe because the division was named to symbolize Black Hawks strength and respect. Recently more and more names of sports teams and their mascots regarding Native American’s have been called “racially insensitive”

Looking at our own community, these issues are not a problem and haven’t been looked at as the sports teams have. For example a school nearby the New Hope Indians hasn't changed their mascot for years. If any changes are made to the logo’s it should be school names that don’t express any respect to the community. There is not a deeper meaning behind the title “Indians” and there is not a connecting symbol such as the hawk. The use of the work Indians as the title is a stereotype and should be changed if there is not a deeper meaning. The New Hope Indians don’t have a cartoon mascot like the Blackhawk’s, which is more disrespectful.


http://differenttogether.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/tommyhawk.jpgWorks Cited
"Black Hawk (Sauk and Fox Leader)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/67890/Black-Hawk>.
"Encyclopedia Britannica." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://eb.pdn.ipublishcentral.com/authenticate/login>.
Keilman, John. "Black Hawk." The Chicago Tribune. The Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2013. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. <http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-06-19/news/ct-met-indian-mascots-20130619_1_american-indians-black-hawk-mascots>.
Metcalf, P. Richard. "The Journal of American History." JSTOR. Organization of American Historians, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1899925?seq=3>.
 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=LitRG&userGroupName=avlr&tabID=T001&searchId=R3&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=5&contentSet=GALE%7CA16737517&&docId=GALE|A16737517&docType=GALE&role=LitRC
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Cahokia Mounds

Cahokia Mounds

Standing about 13 kilometers northeast of St. Louis, Missouri is the largest pre- Columbian settlement north of Mexico – Cahokia Mounds. Cahokia was inhabited for about three centuries during the Mississippian period. This society demonstrated the engineering skills of the people through their sophisticated construction and architecture of the many mounds built, including their most famous mound called Monks Mound. Although many mounds have been eroded and destroyed throughout time, Cahokia is now protected and preserved by several different organizations. Exploration of Cahokia throughout time has given historians knowledge of its geography, history, architecture, the history of Monks Mound itself, and has given protection of preservation to the site.
Cahokia Mounds is an archaeological site on the Mississippi River northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. The site occupies around six square miles and consists of about 120 mounds, however many mounds have been destroyed since Cahokia was abandoned. Cahokia was inhabited by ten to twenty thousand people from 1050 – 1150. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site preserves about eighty mounds today. This settlement is the largest, and earliest, pre – Columbian Settlement north of Mexico. This settlement demonstrates the existence of a powerful economic society, including agriculture and trade,  and also a political hierarchy which was responsible for trade, communal agriculture, and the organization of labor. The people of Cahokia had built a fence enclosing their most important buildings. It enclosed over 120 acres requiring about twenty thousand trees. Merchants from Cahokia traded south the Gulf Coast, north to the Great Lakes, east to the Atlantic Coast and west to Oklahoma. Cahokia’s streets and mounds were laid out according to their builders’ spiritual principles and views of the cosmos. At the center of Cahokia are four plazas in honor of the four cardinal directions – North, South, East, and West. Monks Mound stood in the center of the four plazas. The people of Cahokia built what is called Woodhenge which enclosed their large plazas and ceremonial areas. The Woodhenges were large circular areas marked off with enormous red cedar posts. Woodhenges were significant to the timing of the agricultural cycle. The entire society of Cahokia, including Monks Mound, is primary based off of two materials – earth and wood.
Monks Mound is the most famous of the mounds in Cahokia. It also has the title of the largest prehistoric earthen structure in the Western Hemisphere. Monks Mound rises to about 100 feet and includes four terraces. Monks Mound covers more than 15 acres and is 1080 feet long and 710 feet wide. In comparison to the largest Egyptian pyramid, Pharaoh Cheops at Gizeh, the base of Monks Mound is 200,000 square feet larger than the base of the largest Egyptian pyramid. Monks Mound also contains more than twenty – five million cubic feet of earth. Monks Mound is believed to have housed a temple 100 feet long and 50 feet wide and tall. This temple was Cahokia’s seat of governance and was a place for its rulers to perform religious and political rituals. Other mounds have been excavated to reveal burial sites were located in mounds.
Without the protection and preservation of this phenomenal historic site, the mounds and their history would cease to exist. Cahokia was first protected by the State of Illinois in 1923 by the purchase of a state park. It was later recognized as a state historic site which gave additional protection.  A major threat to the site was the Federal Highway Building Program in the 1950s. This program reduced the site’s integrity, but it increased funding for archeological investigations. On July 19, 1964, Cahokia was designated as a National Historic Landmark. Then on October 15,1966, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Finally, Cahokia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982. USESCO stands for The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This park protects 2,200 acres. Cahokia is the only site in Illinois and is one of the twenty – one World Heritage Sites in the United States. Recently in August 2007, parts of Monks Mound were excavated twice as an attempt to avoid erosion due to slumping and sliding. Cahokia is one of the few ancient civilizations that still remain today. It has given researchers and historians a look into pre- Columbian time and has allowed for an understanding of its complex chiefdom society.




 Works Cited
"Britannica School." Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/345190>.
"Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and Cahokia Mounds Museum Society." Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and Cahokia Mounds Museum Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.
"Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site." World Heritage Centre. © UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/198>.
"Cahokia." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahokia>.
Campell, Hank. "Science 2.0 Links." 600 Years Before St. Louis Was Founded, A Fire There Destroyed America's Greatest City. ION Publications LLC, 2 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.science20.com/cool-links/600_years_st_louis_was_founded_fire_there_destroyed_americas_greatest_city-121513>.
"Digital History." Digital History. Digital History, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/learning_history/1492/1492_cahokia.cfm>.
Jarus, Owen. "Cahokia: North America's First City." LiveScience.com. TechMedia Network, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.livescience.com/22737-cahokia.html>.
NEWITZ, ANNALEE. "A Mysterious Fire Transformed North America's Greatest City in 1170." Io9. N.p., 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://io9.com/a-mysterious-fire-destroyed-north-americas-greatest-ci-1390275275?source=science20.com>.
Seppa, Nathan. "Metropolitan Life on the Mississippi." Web log post. Washington Post. Washington Post, 12 Mar. 1997. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. 

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Fritz Scholder

Fritz Scholder
Fritz Scholder

           Fritz Scholder was a widely known artist, who achieved his fame by making many kinds of art that portrayed his personal American Indian heritage in a nontraditional way.
          Scholder was only one fourth Native American, so he considered himself white. His ancestors were Luiseno, which is a tribe in California. Others called him a “New Indian” because although he lived like a white person, he kept his ties to Native American culture as well. He was known to be a very reclusive person, always using drawing as an escape from people. In an interview, Scholder said, “If I couldn’t paint, I would be out on the street shooting people”. He was inspired by his father and his mother personally. When it comes to his work, he was inspired by Picasso, Goya, Matisse, Bonnard, and Francis Bacon. He was born in Breckenridge, Minnesota on October 6, 1937 and died at 67 on February 10, 2005 from diabetes.
          From the beginning of his life, Scholder knew he wanted to be an artist for several reasons. First, he didn’t want a boss. Also, he wanted the freedom to do what he wanted when he wanted and he didn’t want to waste his life with a job he hated. His career lasted 50 years, but the most well-known period was in the 
1960’s, which was when he did most of his American Indian works. He broke traditions and brought pop art and Indian art together, creating something totally new for the art world. 
It got a great response, landing his works in the Museum of Modern Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, the Hirschhorn Museum, the Sculpture Garden, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He loved painting the most, but he also branched out into sculpting, prints, and photography. His most commonly used subjects were women, isolation, and mortality. Indianwork went from very solemn, faded paintings to something exciting, with vibrant colors and deeper meaning thanks to Fritz Scholder. 
           Scholder described making art as a “turn-on”, and said ““But it’s also terribly serious, because it is in a way one of the universal rituals of making a mark on something that will last longer than you”. Fritz Scholder’s confidence and innovation changed Indian painting forever.

Works Cited
1.     "Fritz Scholder: Indian/Not Indian." National Museum of the American Indian. National Museum of the American Indian, 2008. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. <http://nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/scholder/introduction.html>.

1.     Brockman, Joshua. "Indian Or Not? Fritz Scholder's Art And Identity." NPR. NPR, 24 Dec. 2008. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98694678>.

1.     Scholder, Fritz. "On the Work of a Contemporary American Indian Painter." MIT Press. N.p., 1973. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1572685?&Search=yes&searchText=Scholder&searchText=fritz&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicResults%3Fla%3D%26wc%3Don%26fc%3Doff%26vf%3Dall%26bk%3Doff%26pm%3Doff%26jo%3Doff%26ar%3Doff%26re%3Doff%26ms%3Doff%26Query%3Dfritz%2BScholder%26sbq%3Dfritz%2BScholder%26si%3D1%26aori%3Da%26so%3Drel%26hp%3D25%26Go%3DGo&prevSearch=&item=1&ttl=204&returnArticleService=showFullText&>.

1.     Hogeland, Kim. "Fritz Scholder Inducted into the California Hall of Fame." N.p., 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://search.proquest.com/ethnicnewswatch/docview/217817884/1415559D5ED7D727932/3?accountid=45883>.

1.     Brockman, Joshua. "Fritz Scholder, Painter of American Indians, Dies at 67." New York Times. New York Times, 14 Feb. 2005. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/14/arts/design/14scholder.html?_r=0>.

"      Fritz Scholder Interview." -- Academy of Achievement. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/sch1int-1>.
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Cultural Assimilation Of Native Americans

Cultural Assimilation Of Native Americans

The first thing that comes to mind while discussing how Native Americans were accepted into society is the Indian Removal Act.  The Native Americans in the 1820’s were treated much differently from both the past and the future.  The Indian Removal Act has influenced events from 1820’s to the early 1840’s.
The Western Native Americans Had been Viewed as inferior compared to the American settlers,  for this reason they were required to have several laws placed on them.  The most notable of these laws was the Indian Removal Act.  The law was an effort to free up land for the new settlers,  in order to do this the Native Americans had to be removed.  This idea was rejected by several of the major tribes, these included the Cherokee,  Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole.  These along with several other small tribes initially rejected the act.  In 1832 Andrew Jackson was re-elected,  This was a frightening event for some of the tribes who had previously rejected the act.  Due to this re-election Jackson had more time to continue on the removal of the Native Americans.
The Indian Removal Act had been initially rejected by several of the major tribes.  The new re-election of Andrew Jackson had them wanting to re-consider the terms.  An Event called the Trail of tears came out shortly after the Indian removal Act.  This was a more dramatic form of the Indian Removal Act.  For the Native Americans this was a non optional venture,  if the Government said that they had to go they had to go.  Many of the same tribes that declined the Indian Removal Act were re-located through this portion of the Act.  Many of the people that were forced to the new lands died due to disease, exposure, and Starvation.  The end location to the Trail of tears was in areas ranging from Tennessee to Florida.  The trail of tears was a large and important portion to Native American history.
The overall relation of the tribes among the individual citizen would have not existed.  The amount of Native Americans to the us citizens would have been low so the interaction with them was limited.  The general idea of them was more a stereotype rather than knowing the people.  Therefore the people really did not know the full extent of what the government was doing to the Native Americans.  Thousands of Native Americans died on the trail of tears.  Had the population realized these were too people that lived lives much like their own then maybe they could have found another way around what happened to them.
The Native Americans had a major role in the History of the US.  They had been through many different situations along with hard times.  But through all of it moving to an entirely different land,  Losing their people by the thousands,  and being severely neglected by the public they still survived.  The Native Americans were a major minority population within the US.

Works Cited
"Americanization of Native Americans." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.
Graf, Christine. "Moving West: A Native American Perspective." Gale Group. Cobblestone, 2005. Web.
Hansen, Megan. "Following the Footsteps of Our Cherokee Ancestors." Gale Group. Cobblestone, 2010. Web.
"History and Culture: Indian Removal Act - 1830 - American Indian Relief Council." History and Culture: Indian Removal Act - 1830 - American Indian Relief Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.
"Indian Removal Act." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.
"Trail of Tears." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.
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Ellis Vest

October 31, 2013

Mr. Ward 


Crazy Horse 
Born in the early 1840’s on the Belle Fourche River in South Dakota a legendary warrior was born known as Crazy Horse. As a child he went by the name of Light Hair and at age ten he was known as Horse on Sight.  When he turned 18 his Father honored him by passing down his own name, Crazy Horse, changing his name to Worm. While his father was in the Oglala Lokota Tribe, his mother was from the Miniconjou Lakota Tribe, a member of One Horn family. Crazy horse left with a legacy of a serious and effective warrior, a fantastic leader, and a death that no one can ever be sure of.  He is also known for his amazing fighting abilities.
Crazy Horse was more than just a Sioux Indian, he was also a fantastic warrior and leader.  He was below average height and his hair and skin color were much lighter than most Indians. He did not like any funny business and he refused to wear face paint or a bonnet during battles.  Many of the Indians also rubbed dust on themselves but Crazy Horse did not partake in this either.  Even at the age 13 he was stealing horses from the Crow Indians and led his first actual War Party before turning 20.  As a leader of the Ogala Sioux Tribe he led the Sioux Wars in 1860’s to the 1870’s.  He was viewed among his people as a strong leader who committed to keeping the traditions and the values of the Lakota’s way of life. 
On July 25, 1865 Crazy Horse had his first real encounter with soldiers on the Oregon Trail.  At Platte Bridge he was a decoy to lure the soldiers out of their defenses.  That following year, he used his skills as a guerrilla fighter and studied the ways of the military adversaries.  On December of 1866 the Sioux and the Cheyenne combined to go up against Fort Phil Kearny.  Crazy Horse brought in a man named Lt. Col. William J. Fetterman along with 80 men to storm, which is known as the Fetterman massacre. Crazy Horse joined Sitting Bull as a guest tribe in hopes to defeat the Black Hills. Olgalas by the hundreds flocked to the standard of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in the last great armed resistance of the Sioux. 
Battle of Little Bighorn in mid June 1876 was one of Crazy Horses well known battles. When the War Department ordered all Lakota Bands onto their reservations became a leader of the resistance. He also helped defeat the Custer’s troops on June 25th in a counterattack.  He led 1,500 Indians into the Battle of the Rosebud surprising the calvary.   On May 1877, he led his Oglalas into Red Cloud’s Agency and threw his weapons on the ground surrendering.  He spend his summer near Fort Robinson because he was told he would be given the assignment to a reservation if he surrendered.  No one is completely sure how Crazy Horse died but it has been told that rumors spread that he was planning an outbreak.  On September 5th of 1877, he was arrested but once he realized he was going to be locked away into a guardhouse, he resisted.  He was the stabbed to death. 
As you can see he was a big contrebuter in many Battles and was very smart in the way he chose to go about things.  He stayed loyal to his Tribe and did what he said he was going to do.  He went through much betrayal and false accusations but he still stayed true and never did not fight to his fullest.  Crazy horse was a fantastic warrior and will always be known for nothing less than that. 


Works Cited
"Crazy Horse." The History of the Native American Indian Named. Indians.org, 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.
Clark, Robert A. "Crazy Horse." History.com. A&E Television 

Networks, 1991. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.

Michno, Gregory F. "Montana: The Magazine of Western History: Crazy 

Horse, Custer, and the Sweep to the North.” JSTOR. N.p., 1993. 
Web. 22 Oct. 2013.

Utley, Robert M. The Indian Frontier of the American West, 1846-1890. 

Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, 1984. Print.

Pearson, Jeffrey V. "Montana: The Magazine of Western History: 

Tragedy at Red Cloud Agency: The Surrender, Confinement, and 
Death of Crazy Horse." JSTOR. N.p., 2005. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

Yenne, Bill. The Encyclopedia of North American Indian Tribes: A 

Comprehensive Study of Tribes from the Abitibi to the Zuni. New 

York: Crescent, 1986. Print.
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Sitting Bull


Emily Evans
October 31, 2013

Sitting Bull

            Sitting Bull was marked in history as an extraordinary leader and an all around great man.  He was a great father, very religious and always friendly.  He was a great war general for his tribe during the years of great resistance to the government policies put forth by the United States.  He was a part of the Hunkpapa Lakota tribe, which was one of the seven council fires of the Sioux tribe.  He once said, “I am here by the will of the Great Spirit, and by his will I am chief.” His great leadership skills motivated his tribe, and inspired other leaders to rise up.
            Sitting Bull was in his first battle at the age of fourteen, in a raid on the Crow tribe.  He was first recognized for his great bravery because of the Battle of Killdeer mountain and the siege that he led on Fort Rice.  He became chief of the Hunkpapa Lakota nation in 1868.  He was well respected by his people.  He and his people protected a sacred land called the Black Hills from General Custer’s gold rush, which was his first major battle.  This is what started the rivalries between the General Custer’s Seventh Cavalry of the US army and Sitting Bull’s tribe. Sitting Bull claimed to have a “vision” of another encounter with General Custer, and defeating him.  After celebrating a victory of the Battle of Rosebud, the Hunkpapa Lakota army moved to Little Bighorn River.  They were then attacked by General Custer’s Seventh Cavalry. The Arapaho and Northern Cheyenne tribes were also involved, lead by Crazy Horse and Chief Gall who were great military leaders as well.  It was a very successful battle and General Custer was killed.  Sitting Bull’s vision had proved to be true.  This is known as the Battle of Bighorn, or Custer’s Last Stand. When there was a shortage of buffalo for his men to eat, Sitting Bull was forced to surrender.  He was sent to Fort Randall and was kept as a prisoner of war. After two years, he was finally able to go back to his home at Standing Rock.
            Sitting Bull joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.  He was paid fifty dollars a week just for riding around an arena once. He toured all around Europe with Bill Cody’s show.  He met Annie Oakley when he was involved in the show.  She was a girl who he respected very much for her shooting skills.  Sitting Bull adopted her as his daughter in 1884.  He gave her the name “Little Sure Shot” because she was able to shoot so well with both hands. 
            There were rumors that Sitting Bull converted into Catholicism and was baptized, but these ended up being false.  Sitting Bull moved back to his reservation and kept with the traditional Hunkpapa Lakota ways of living.  He had two wives and refused to accept Christianity.  He did send his kids to a Christian school, though, hoping that they would learn to read and write.  In 1890 there was news of a Ghost Dance.  This was a ceremony that was supposed to get rid of white people and return the old ways of the tribes. The reservation’s policemen were worried that Sitting Bull would join the Ghost Dancers.  Sitting Bull was shot and killed by one of these policemen.
            Sitting Bull lead some battles that were of major importance in the Dakota war.  He kept his people motivated and willing to fight.  The major turning points of the war arguably could not have happened without him. 
            

Sitting Bull and Bill Cody
Sitting Bull

      







Works Cited
Klos, Stan. "Sitting Bull." Sitting Bull. Blogger, 10 Mar. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. <http://www.sittingbull.org/>.
"Sitting Bull." PBS. Lifetime Learning Systems, 2001. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. <http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/sittingbull.htm>.
Gibson, Beth. "Sitting Bull - Hunkpapa / Sioux." Sitting Bull - Hunkpapa / Sioux (Lakota). N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. <http://www.franksrealm.com/Indians/tribes/Sioux_Lakota/Hunkpapa/pages/hunkpapa-sittingbull.htm>.
"Sitting Bull." Powersource. Fifth Rock Software, Inc, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. <http://www.powersource.com/gallery/people/sittbull.html>.

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Yenne, Bill. The Encyclopedia of North American Indian Tribes: A Comprehensive Study of Tribes from the Abitibi to the Zuni. New York: Crescent, 1986. Print.


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