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