In 1890, the U.S. Census Bureau announced the closure of the frontier. This Census Bureau defined the frontier as a point beyond which the population density was less than two persons per square mile. What this really meant is that the American expansion westward was complete.
As new territories and states were organized, American settlers continued to come into conflict with Native Americans. Desperate to maintain a hold on their past, as well as their future, the Plains tribes were attracted to a religious movement known as the Ghost Dance. The following clip is from Stephen Ives documentary, The West: Ghost Dance, which explains the Ghost Dance:
Wounded Knee was reported to the American public as a battle won by heroic American soldiers. Frank Baum, the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, wrote an editorial Download editorialfor a South Dakota newspaper that called for the annihilation of the Native Americans. The following is an image of Fedrick Remington’s “The Opening of the Fight at Wounded Knee” that was used in many of the newspaper reports of the event.
In 1891, the U.S. Army awarded twenty soldiers the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military’s highest honor. The massacre left an estimated 300 Lakota men, women, and children dead. Twenty-five soldiers were killed and thirty-nine wounded – most likely from friendly fire.
The testimony of a survivor named Turning Hawk was recorded in the Annual Report of the Commission of Indian Affairs, 18911
The Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 stands as a dark chapter in American history, symbolizing the tragic culmination of conflicts between Native American tribes and American settlers. This essay delves into the underlying issues that led to the massacre, the question of whether the U.S. government should rescind the Medals of Honor awarded to soldiers involved, and the importance of primary sources in shaping our historical understanding.
The root cause of the Wounded Knee Massacre lies in the turbulent history of westward expansion in the United States. As new territories and states were established, Native American tribes found themselves increasingly marginalized and displaced from their ancestral lands. The Plains tribes, in particular, were pushed to the brink, and their desperation led many to embrace the Ghost Dance, a religious movement offering hope and solace during a time of great adversity.
The Ghost Dance represented a last-ditch effort by Plains tribes to preserve their culture and resist further encroachment on their lands. However, it was misinterpreted and viewed with suspicion by American authorities, leading to a military response. The massacre at Wounded Knee, initially portrayed as a heroic victory, resulted in the deaths of around 300 Lakota men, women, and children, along with numerous casualties among the U.S. soldiers involved.
The question of whether the U.S. government should rescind the Medals of Honor awarded to soldiers involved in the Wounded Knee Massacre is a complex one. While these medals are typically reserved for acts of exceptional valor and heroism, the events at Wounded Knee were marked by tragedy and loss of innocent lives. Revisiting the issue prompts us to consider whether the medals were awarded in an appropriate context.
One perspective argues that the medals should be rescinded as a recognition of the tragic nature of the event. Awarding medals for actions that led to the deaths of hundreds of unarmed civilians seems inconsistent with the principles of honor and valor. Furthermore, rescinding the medals could be seen as a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and acknowledgment of past injustices towards Native Americans.
On the other hand, some argue that the soldiers involved were operating within the context of their time and following orders, however misguided those orders may have been. Rescinding the medals could be viewed as anachronistic, as it would be applying contemporary moral standards to historical events. Instead, they suggest that acknowledging the massacre’s historical context and promoting education about it may be a more constructive approach.
Primary sources, such as the survivor testimony of Turning Hawk and images like Frederick Remington’s “The Opening of the Fight at Wounded Knee,” are invaluable in helping us understand historical events accurately. They provide firsthand accounts and visual representations that shed light on the emotions, experiences, and perspectives of the people who lived through those times.
Historians should indeed revisit events and revise their interpretations as new information and perspectives emerge. Primary sources play a crucial role in this process, as they provide the raw material from which historians can construct a more nuanced and accurate narrative of past events. In the case of Wounded Knee, survivor testimonies and visual depictions challenge the earlier heroic portrayal of the event and invite a reconsideration of its historical significance.
The Wounded Knee Massacre represents a tragic episode in American history with deep-rooted historical and moral complexities. Whether the U.S. government should rescind the Medals of Honor awarded in 1891 remains a subject of debate, with valid arguments on both sides. In revisiting historical events, primary sources like survivor testimonies and visual records are indispensable in crafting a more comprehensive and empathetic understanding of the past, helping us navigate the complexities of history with greater insight and sensitivity.
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