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| Sitting Bull was born in
1831in Grand River, South Dakota. He was a warrior, medicine man, Mystic
and tribal leader. he became the leader of the Sioux tribe. He also
united the Crow, Arapho Cheyenne and Arikara nations to spearhead the
resistance against the white invasion into Indian territory. He had a
great love for his native soil and would not willingly surrender it to
the whites who were over-running his home.
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This is Sitting Bull at a Ghost Dance. After he had a vision of soldiers
falling from the sky. |
| In 1867 Sitting Bull became
the first principal chief of the entire Sioux Nation. Shortly after
peace was made with the U.S. government. Although Sitting Bull refused
to attend a peace conference he didn't sign a treaty. The treaty that he
did not sign was the Fort Laramie Treaty. That treaty promised the Black
Hills would remain in Sioux possession forever. The Sioux Indians fought
the army encroachment. The U.S. Army continually invaded the Indian
territory creating problems within Native economy. |
| From 1870-1876 gold was
discovered and press reporters brought a rush of prospectors. More than
a thousand prospectors were camping on the Black Hills. Government
ordered the Sioux Indians to leave the Black Hills by Jan.31st. They
joined the Cheyenne and Arapho. Sitting Bull performed a Ghost Dance. A
Ghost Dance is some type of self torture. When sitting Bull emerged from
this trance he had a vision of soldiers falling from the sky. |
| On June 25, 1876 at The
Battle of the Little Bighorn, General George Custer Led his soldiers
along the Little Bighorn River. 200 soldiers were killed. Soldiers
chasing Sitting Bull found a note that read, "You scare all the
buffalo away. I want you to turn back. I want to hunt in this place. If
you don't I will fight you again.'' |
| In 1877 Sitting Bull escaped
to Canada. When he got there he turned himself over to the U.S.
delegation at Fort Buford. When he surrendered he handed his gun over to
his 8 year old son, who presented it to Major Brotherton of the
Northwest Mounted Police. He asked to be remembered as the last of his
tribe to surrender his rife. They were sent to the Standing Rock Agency
where most of his people lived and almost immediately, despite promises
made by Washington, his band were sent to Fort Randall and were in
prison for 2 years. |
| In 1885 Sitting Bull joined
Buffalo Bills Wild West show. He toured with Bill for a short time. He
returned to Standing Rock, because he could not tolerate the white
society. It was there at Standing Rock where he had on of his famous
visions. His vision was that he saw a Meadowlark land near him and spoke
these words, " Your own people, the Lakota's, will kill you."
Five years later these words came true. |
| On December 15, 1890
afraid Sitting Bull would join the Ghost Dance ceremony that promised to
rid the land of the whites authorities at Standing Rock sent a band of
Lakota policeman to arrest him. Then the police dragged him from his
home, a gun battle broke out and Sitting Bull was shot in the back of
the head by a Lakota officer. He was buried in Fort Yates National Cemetery. Then his remains were moved to
Mobridge N.D. |
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