American History IName/Hour:

“Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”

Due: ______

Objectives:

Why are we watching this movie?

  • Based upon true stories of how the U.S. government attempted to assimilate or Americanize the Native Americans.
  • Depicts how painful it was for Native Americans to give up their way of life when they lost the “clash of two cultures.”
  • Does a pretty good job of presenting the motivations and perspectives of both the American government and the Native Americans in the conflicts resulting from the white push westward to settle lands.

Why does this matter?

  • Understanding how Native Americans were treated by the U.S. government as the country expanded will help you understand their current living situation.
  • Understanding how Americans perceived and treated a culture very different than their own, will help you gain insight into how we treat different cultures today. YOU can decide how you feel about that, and in the future decide how you want to support our leaders’ decisions revolving around cultural differences. (For example, should English be the country’s official language? Should immigrants be required to take English classes?)

What is your assignment?

  • Answer the questions below and fill out the table on the back of this sheet.
  • When the movie is finished, be prepared for class discussion on the topic.

Questions:

  1. When discussing the Battle of Little Big Horn (Custer’s Last Stand), how did Senator Dawes view of what happened differ from President Grant’s and General Sherman’s?
  1. Why didn’t Red Cloud want to sign the new treaty Senator Dawes wanted him to sign, which would have required the Indians to move to Pine Ridge?
  1. Why did the father of Ohiyesa, later known as Charles, send him out east to be schooled?
  1. List some of the things that were done to him or required of him in order to be Americanized?
  1. Describe Senator Dawes feelings and perceptions towards the Indians.
  1. Describe how the Native Americans lived at Pine Ridge and contrast how it was different from their traditional way of life.
  1. Were there aspects of their lives there that were demeaning? Which ones and why?
  1. Were there aspects that were better than their traditional lives? In what way?
  1. In what ways did Sitting Bull resist adopting the “white man’s” life?
  1. Why do you think it mattered to the U.S. government whether or not Sitting Bull assimilated?
  1. Describe some of the conflicts Charles felt about being Americanized and being a Native American.
  1. How did the Canadians feel about the Indians? (Support your opinion with evidence from the movie.)

13. Pay close attention to the conversation between Sitting Bull and the General while they’re on the blanket negotiating, and complete the following chart. Think about how they justify their position.

Describe the General’s view of: / Describe Sitting Bull’s view of:
Land
Religion
Treaties
Wars