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Textbook Entry and Reflection
Since the first contact with natives, there has been conflict and struggle between the two races of white and Indians. This conflict peaked at the massacre of Wounded-Knee when the Indians faced the United States government militia for the last time. Leading up to this crucial turning point, the tensions were high and the struggle for power and freedom raged on.
By settling on native land, the US government made the first ripples of conflict. They initiated the struggle by trying to take over the land that they had newly acquired. In response to the white settlers occupancy of the land, the more violent tribes of the natives, like the Sioux and the Cheyenne, lashed out and looted settlements. The settlements that the Indians attacked were unable to defend themselves and this required immediate action to be taken by the government of the United States to protect the settlers.
One of the ways that the United States protected the white settlers was to assign sections of land where the Indians were given space to live. Through many treaties, the United States coerced the Indians to live on specific areas of the land in return for the means to start a new life, such as clothing, seeds, substantial rations and livestock. The government broke their treaties with the Indians by not providing them with proficient supplies to start their assimilation into the culture of Americans. By failing to supply the Indians with the necessities to start new lives as citizens of the United States, the hostile attitudes of the Indians increased.
The Big Foot clan of Sioux natives began a movement to completely resist the assimilation forced upon them by the US government and set out towards the Pine Ridge agency to take their people back from the government. However, the United States militia met the Big Foot at the Wounded-Knee creek and surrounded them. The Indians were stripped of their weapons in what appeared to be a peaceful exchange between the two races. Then an Indian made the first advances against the white soldiers by shooting their officer and then there was an outburst of violence from the soldiers. They gunned down all of the Big Foot clan, including the women and children, trapping them and shooting them down in the ravine where they tried to hide.
This marked the end of the Indian resistance and the tribes were moved to reservations in different parts of the country. White schools were established as well as Christian churches in all of the reservations to aide in the Indians becoming part of the new culture and earning citizenship. The children were taught the language as a useful skill to help them complete business with the white settlers in the future and the Indians adopted the religion, accepting Christianity. Now, the Indians are living on reservations living lives similar to the white Americans that brought the Indians under their wing and into their superior culture.
Reflection:
Through this assignment, I think that I learned a lot about document analysis. I spend a lot of time with the documents trying to pick out the most important parts and the most valuable parts to understanding the overall perspective. It was difficult for me to focus after the first few documents, however, because it soon felt like busy work and there were really two sides that were most prevalent in the documents: for the Indians or against them. Though this is not completely accurate, it was close to the truth and made all of the document analysis sheets sound like I was just repeating myself, so it was difficult for me to find new perspectives in the language. It was an enlightening experience to find new ways to word old phrases.
In my passage, I think I have a clear bias towards the white people. After reading General Miles’ report, the massacre makes better sense and the hostility towards the whites from the Indians is better justified. If I was writing a biased piece, I would have chosen to write about the broken treaties and how that caused the Indians to rise up and fight the white men. Additionally, I think my bias starts from the very first contact with the Indians were they were willing to be peaceful and taught the white men how to do things and shared willingly, but were eventually taken advantage of by the whites. This first starts when Columbus lands and he immediately takes advantage of the naïve and kind Indians. (Zinn) In my textbook passage, my ideology is shown through the third paragraph where I write about the broken treaties and why that caused a conflict between the Indians and the government.
This inquiry has changed my perspective drastically. Before, Indian history meant a trip to Mesa Verde or Chimney Rock where we learned of the natives and their culture that was not destroyed by the white people. This version of their history was spun to me so many times in middle school because it was important based on where we live, that I already had a bias that the Indian history was boring. After this inquiry I have gained much deeper understanding of what actually happened and I have become much more interested in the history of the Indians.
By settling on native land, the US government made the first ripples of conflict. They initiated the struggle by trying to take over the land that they had newly acquired. In response to the white settlers occupancy of the land, the more violent tribes of the natives, like the Sioux and the Cheyenne, lashed out and looted settlements. The settlements that the Indians attacked were unable to defend themselves and this required immediate action to be taken by the government of the United States to protect the settlers.
One of the ways that the United States protected the white settlers was to assign sections of land where the Indians were given space to live. Through many treaties, the United States coerced the Indians to live on specific areas of the land in return for the means to start a new life, such as clothing, seeds, substantial rations and livestock. The government broke their treaties with the Indians by not providing them with proficient supplies to start their assimilation into the culture of Americans. By failing to supply the Indians with the necessities to start new lives as citizens of the United States, the hostile attitudes of the Indians increased.
The Big Foot clan of Sioux natives began a movement to completely resist the assimilation forced upon them by the US government and set out towards the Pine Ridge agency to take their people back from the government. However, the United States militia met the Big Foot at the Wounded-Knee creek and surrounded them. The Indians were stripped of their weapons in what appeared to be a peaceful exchange between the two races. Then an Indian made the first advances against the white soldiers by shooting their officer and then there was an outburst of violence from the soldiers. They gunned down all of the Big Foot clan, including the women and children, trapping them and shooting them down in the ravine where they tried to hide.
This marked the end of the Indian resistance and the tribes were moved to reservations in different parts of the country. White schools were established as well as Christian churches in all of the reservations to aide in the Indians becoming part of the new culture and earning citizenship. The children were taught the language as a useful skill to help them complete business with the white settlers in the future and the Indians adopted the religion, accepting Christianity. Now, the Indians are living on reservations living lives similar to the white Americans that brought the Indians under their wing and into their superior culture.
Reflection:
Through this assignment, I think that I learned a lot about document analysis. I spend a lot of time with the documents trying to pick out the most important parts and the most valuable parts to understanding the overall perspective. It was difficult for me to focus after the first few documents, however, because it soon felt like busy work and there were really two sides that were most prevalent in the documents: for the Indians or against them. Though this is not completely accurate, it was close to the truth and made all of the document analysis sheets sound like I was just repeating myself, so it was difficult for me to find new perspectives in the language. It was an enlightening experience to find new ways to word old phrases.
In my passage, I think I have a clear bias towards the white people. After reading General Miles’ report, the massacre makes better sense and the hostility towards the whites from the Indians is better justified. If I was writing a biased piece, I would have chosen to write about the broken treaties and how that caused the Indians to rise up and fight the white men. Additionally, I think my bias starts from the very first contact with the Indians were they were willing to be peaceful and taught the white men how to do things and shared willingly, but were eventually taken advantage of by the whites. This first starts when Columbus lands and he immediately takes advantage of the naïve and kind Indians. (Zinn) In my textbook passage, my ideology is shown through the third paragraph where I write about the broken treaties and why that caused a conflict between the Indians and the government.
This inquiry has changed my perspective drastically. Before, Indian history meant a trip to Mesa Verde or Chimney Rock where we learned of the natives and their culture that was not destroyed by the white people. This version of their history was spun to me so many times in middle school because it was important based on where we live, that I already had a bias that the Indian history was boring. After this inquiry I have gained much deeper understanding of what actually happened and I have become much more interested in the history of the Indians.
Historical Inquiry Notes
Animas High School 3206 North Main Avenue Durango, CO 81301 (970) 247-2474
My Contact Information: [email protected]
Updated on 1.27.14
My Contact Information: [email protected]
Updated on 1.27.14