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