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Sitting Bull: People
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When Sitting Bull was a boy, there was no thought of trouble with the whites. He was acquainted with many of the early traders, Picotte, Choteau, Primeau, Larpenteur, and others, and liked them, as did most of his people in those days. All the early records show this friendly attitude of the Sioux, and the great fur companies for a century and a half depended upon them for the bulk of their trade. It was not until the middle of the last century that they woke up all of a sudden to the danger threatening their very existence. Yet at that time many of the old chiefs had been already depraved by the whisky and other vices of the whites, and in the vicinity of the forts and trading posts at Sioux City, Saint Paul, and Cheyenne, there was general demoralization. The drunkards and hangers-on were ready to sell almost anything they had for the favor of the trader.
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The death of Sitting Bull removes one of the obstacles to civilization. He was a greasy savage, who rarely bathed and was liable at any time to become infected with vermin. During the whole of his life he entertained the remarkable delusion that he was a free-born American with some rights in the country of his ancestors. Under this delusion, when civilized immigrants pushed over the Black Hills country in search of gold he considered them trespassers on the lands of his people and tried to keep them out. He was engaged in this absurd and wicked attempt when General Custer surprised his camp in the interests of civilization. Unfortunately for civilization General Custer was mistaken in the number of the savages who had assembled to fight for the land, which they foolishly believed was their birthright, and " a massacre" ensued.
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A revered political, spiritual, and military leader, Sitting Bull was legendary for his stubbornness and battle prowess as head of the Lakota Sioux in the 1860s. His resistance of U.S. government encroachment onto Native lands and his fight to preserve Sioux culture inspired his people to do the same, culminating in the Battle of Little Bighorn. Despite his eventual surrender, Sitting Bull was one of the most influential figures in the history of U.S.-Native American relations. This accessible biography marks the first of several Native American volumes to come in the Greenwood Biographies series and is an essential supplemnt to any American history or Native American studies curricula.
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Today Sitting Bull is remembered as one of the greatest of all Indian leaders, a man of power and renown among his own people, an uncompromising foe of white encroachments on his land and his way of life. His rocklike dedication to the principles that ordered his life ensured failure in the great purpose he set for himself, but ... awarded him stature as one of American history's greatest patriots. He is remembered among the Lakota not only as an inspirational leader and fearless warrior but as a loving father, a gifted singer, a man always affable and friendly toward others, whose deep religious faith gave him prophetic insight and lent special power to his prayers.
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Sitting Bull is a name in history most people can recall. He was a leader and holy man of the Hunkpapa Lakota (Hunkpapa, one of the seven bands of the Lakota/Sioux). At the time the threat of white Europeans encroaching on land that had quietly supported the Lakota for centuries was great. Passive resistance had proven futile and treaties had been shown to be a string of government promises broken. For these reasons, Sitting Bull was instrumental in leading his people in acts of defense to preserve their way of life on the northern plains of the U.S. territories. He remained committed to his position against the U.S. military and the lies and promises of the U.S. government through his dying day.
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Sitting Bull and his tribe settled on the reserve that had been set aside for them at Fort Buford. The Sioux lived there until the end of the decade, when a messenger reported that, as medicine man, Sitting Bull was trying to raise his people. Concerned, the American Government sent an Indian police officer to stop Sitting Bull. When the Sioux chief refused, the officer shot him on December 15, 1890. A few days later, on December 28, many Sioux men, women and children died at the hands of American soldiers during the Battle of Wounded Knee. The American army had finally avenged the death of General Custer and his regiment.
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