Caitlin Tedeschi Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Response 1.

Manifest Destiny played a huge part in the eventual near extinction of the Native Americans. During Andrew Jacksons presidency, many natives were forcibly moved west into the Great Plains area. These lands were given with a promise that neither the government nor any other person could take them away. Forty years later the idea of Manifest Destiny took hold and white settlers began pushing the natives of their land once more. The discoveries of precious metals and government policies such as the Homestead Act allowed for Manifest Destiny to occur. As the settler began moving in on Native territory conflicts began arising. Gold was found in the Black Hills, lands that were sacred to the Sioux people. The government reneging on previous agreements tried to renegotiate land boundaries. When attempts to compensate the natives for land the government would take failed, it resulted in bloody conflict. Before Americans tried settling in the west, the Natives had already become accustomed to the lands given to them. Manifest Destiny caused the end of independent Native tribes eventually led to the end of many tribes and forced Natives to relocate in reservations so white settlers could have their land. 2. Assimilation of the Native Americans was not effective. It was believed that the Natives were social inferiors to their white counter parts. To remedy this, assimilation, the idea to westernize Native Americans came about. It would prove to be ineffective as the beliefs and traditions of Natives would overpower their Christian teachings. In the movie, Charles Eastman was brought into white society in his late childhood. He was forced to pick a Christian name, for he was no longer allowed to be called the Native American one. He grew up and became a doctor. While it would seem like assimilation was good for him, Charles revealed the hidden resentment of his upbringing. Another character, Chasing Crane also

demonstrates the ineffectiveness of assimilation. He lived on the reservoir, went to church but towards the end he resorted back to his Native beliefs. Chasing Crane participated in the song and dances that so scared the white settlers. Assimilation created more hatred between the Natives and Americans because it did not allow any room for practicing old beliefs. It failed because forcing the different tribes to dress and act like whites could not change who they really were. 3. Senator Henry Dawes created the Dawes Act in hopes of helping the Native Americans as their lands were being taken. The plan entailed that each American Indian family or individual would be given 160 acres of land to own and plant on. This plan did not work because it required that the American Indians violate their beliefs, giving up their traditions and culture. In the movie, when Senator Dawes pursued Charles with his idea that the Dawes Act is the right course of action, Charles replied that there was no word in the Sioux language that meant man owning the earth. The Natives did not believe one man had the right to own even 160 acres of land, so declining the offer lead to displacement but accepting the offer meant turning their backs on Native culture and assimilating. The good intentions of the Dawes Act proved to do more harm than good. 4. As an advisor to the President of the United States, I would grant the American Indians more favorable rulings than the white settlers. While it would be more popular to continue taking lands from the Natives I would not allow it to continue. First I would suggest that the President try to get congress to agree that the Native Americans were not citizens of the U.S. therefore it would be illegal to seize lands without full agreement from all tribe members. Then suggest hiring Natives who have assimilated and became lawyers or know about the territory of the Natives. These people would still have to have a somewhat prominent place in the tribe but still understand the direness of the situation. I would negotiate for the sale of

lands that are not necessary for their reservation. These lands only would be available to white settlers. Army troops or police enforcement would overlook the boundaries to make sure the settlers were abiding the law. Since many tribes did not believe in individual ownership of the land and wanted to keep the tribe protected themselves, my policy would include a large reservation with the 160 acres each but it would all be communal land. There would be an option for individual ownership if anyone wanted. Compensation for previously lost land would be the food rations and plant rations. To ensure the success of the farming, member of the tribe would be educated in the proper techniques. Every two years or upon request a farming specialist an appointed official would examine the land to ensure it was being used to its potential. Unlike the land the Sioux were given in Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee the lands would be good farming lands that would last generations.

Since American settlers have been stealing lands from Natives since 1492, I would create strict boundaries for the settlers. The lands acquired from negotiating would be given to the settlers. I would advise that there be a strict punishment to deter settler from stealing lands. I would hire people to find gold in the area available to white settlers in order to distract from the lands that the Natives own. To prevent conflicts from arising, the US Army would not defend the settlers if they get attacked in the boundaries of American Indian land. Since the reservations would most likely be condensed into an approximate area, it would leave settlers with land in many other areas. If warring between the settlers and Natives continue, special incentives would be given to settlers to move elsewhere. Waving the application fee for the homestead act and other methods would be used to lure them out of that area.