The Ghost Dance and the Wounded Knee Massacre
  • 1. The Ghost Dance was a spiritual movement among Native American tribes in the late 19th century, particularly among the Lakota Sioux, which emerged as a response to the tragic loss of land, culture, and lives due to relentless expansion by Euro-American settlers. This movement envisioned a prophetic future in which the dead would be resurrected, the buffalo would return, and Native Americans would live peacefully and prosperously, free from the oppression of colonizers. The dance became a symbol of hope and resistance, infusing a sense of purpose into the tribes facing dire circumstances. However, the United States government perceived the Ghost Dance as a threat, fearing it could incite rebellion among the Native populations. Tensions escalated, and by December 1890, the situation culminated in the Wounded Knee Massacre. On December 29, a detachment of the U.S. Army surrounded a group of Lakota Sioux at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, leading to a tragic confrontation. What began as a disarmament attempt devolved into chaos, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Lakota men, women, and children, and underscoring the violent and tragic history of U.S.-Native American relations. The massacre marked a grim chapter in American history, representing the profound injustices faced by Indigenous peoples and the loss of their cultural and spiritual practices.

    What was the primary spiritual movement associated with Native American resistance in the late 19th century?
A) Sweat Lodge
B) Sun Dance
C) Ghost Dance
D) Vision Quest
  • 2. Who was the leader of the Lakota Sioux during the Wounded Knee Massacre?
A) Red Cloud
B) Sitting Bull
C) Crazy Horse
D) Big Foot
  • 3. In which year did the Wounded Knee Massacre occur?
A) 1892
B) 1880
C) 1900
D) 1890
  • 4. What inspired the Ghost Dance movement?
A) Military strategy
B) Intermarriage customs
C) Agricultural revival
D) Vision of a Native American Messiah
  • 5. Where did the Wounded Knee Massacre take place?
A) Nebraska
B) North Dakota
C) Montana
D) South Dakota
  • 6. What triggered the Wounded Knee Massacre?
A) Fear of Native American resurgence
B) Land disputes
C) Economic recession
D) American expansionism
  • 7. Who was seen as a prophet of the Ghost Dance?
A) Geronimo
B) Black Elk
C) Sitting Bull
D) Wovoka
  • 8. Which U.S. military group was primarily involved in the Wounded Knee Massacre?
A) 10th Mountain
B) 1st Infantry
C) 5th Calvary
D) 7th Cavalry
  • 9. What event do some historians consider the end of the Indian Wars?
A) Sand Creek Massacre
B) Treaty of Fort Laramie
C) Battle of Little Bighorn
D) Wounded Knee Massacre
  • 10. What was the cultural significance of the Ghost Dance?
A) Emphasis on warfare
B) Division and conflict
C) Unity and hope among tribes
D) Rejection of tradition
  • 11. Who was shot and killed, sparking the Wounded Knee Massacre?
A) Big Foot
B) Wovoka
C) Crazy Horse
D) Sitting Bull
  • 12. What did Wovoka teach regarding the Ghost Dance?
A) It was a war dance
B) It was only for the young
C) It would bring back the dead
D) It had no spiritual significance
  • 13. What did the Ghost Dance symbolize for many Native Americans?
A) Defeat and surrender
B) Isolation and separation
C) Resistance and renewal
D) Conformity to American norms
  • 14. Which group of Native Americans first adopted the Ghost Dance?
A) Sioux
B) Cheyenne
C) Paiute
D) Omaha
  • 15. After the Wounded Knee Massacre, what did the U.S. government do concerning Native American policy?
A) Established autonomy
B) Continued assimilation efforts
C) Returned land
D) Reinstated treaties
  • 16. Which Native American tribe was involved in the Ghost Dance movement?
A) Cherokee
B) Lakota Sioux
C) Navajo
D) Apache
  • 17. How many Lakota Sioux were estimated to have died at Wounded Knee?
A) 400 to 500
B) 1000 or more
C) 150 to 300
D) 50 to 100
  • 18. Which U.S. law greatly affected Native American rights prior to Wounded Knee?
A) Treaty of Fort Laramie
B) Indian Reorganization Act
C) Dawes Act
D) Homestead Act
  • 19. In what broader conflict is the Wounded Knee Massacre often discussed?
A) The War of 1812.
B) The Civil War.
C) The Indian Wars.
D) The Revolutionary War.
  • 20. Who authorized the military intervention at Wounded Knee?
A) General Nelson A. Miles
B) General George Armstrong Custer
C) Colonel John Chivington
D) President Ulysses S. Grant
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