Sitting Bull
By Steven Raphael
This webpage is about Sitting Bull. It will cover his childhood, his battles, and his life after battling.
Sitting Bull was the chief of the Lakota people, and he tried to prevent his people’s land from being taken. Even though he didn’t participate in very many battles, he did many things, like uniting tribes and performing an important ritual.
When Sitting Bull was born, he was named "Jumping Badger" by his father. However, he was given the nickname “Slow” because he never hurried. When he was 14, he joined a war party against the Crow, and struck a Crow warrior with a special stick called a coup stick, which was considered to be an act of bravery. His father later changed his name to “Sitting Bull” because the Native Americans considered buffalo bulls to be brave, courageous, and stubborn. These qualities, along with his leadership, would soon make him a great leader.
Sitting Bull had three or more wives, and a lot of children. One of his favorite children was a son named Crow Foot.
Sitting Bull first fought the Americans in 1863. At this time, the Americans were trying to take Lakota territory. He fought more Americans in following years, and in 1868, he became the chief of the Lakota nation. In 1874, Americans discovered gold in an area in Lakota Territory that was sacred to many Native Americans. Americans settled there, even though an earlier treaty prevented them from doing so. In 1875-1876, the Americans tried to get all Lakota people on reservations, but this just provoked them to defend their land.
In March 1876, lots of U.S. troops moved into Lakota Territory. Sitting Bull realized that he couldn’t defeat the troops alone, so he got the Cheyenne tribe, Crazy Horse, and other tribes to help. Sitting Bull performed a religious ritual where he danced, said prayers to Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, and slashed his arms. He said that he got a vision where the Lakota people defeated the Americans. Because of this vision, Crazy Horse led 500 troops at the Battle of the Rosebud and forced the Americans to retreat. Then, Sitting Bull and about 3000 followers settled near Little Big Horn River. One week later, George A. Custer, a Lt. Colonel, led his troops to attack the settlement in the Battle of the Little Big Horn (Also called Custer’s Last Stand). The Lakota people fought against them, and, just like in Sitting Bull’s vision, Custer’s troops were defeated. However, Sitting Bull didn’t participate in this battle. This provoked more American troops and cavalrymen to come into the area. Lots of chiefs and Lakota people surrendered, but Sitting Bull was stubborn, so he didn’t surrender. He led his band to Canada, which was British territory. Four years later, however, he surrendered because he couldn’t feed his band, which was because buffalo were almost extinct.
After he surrendered, Sitting Bull asked for his own reservation, but he was sent to the Standing Rock reservation instead. Because people were frightened that he might bring an uprising, he was sent to another place for two years. After that, he was sent to Standing Rock Agency in North Dakota. The Native American who was the head of the reservation didn’t want to respect him. In 1885, he could leave the reservation, and he did. He toured in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Sitting Bull didn’t really like their civilization, one of the reasons being the high number of homeless people, so he gave money to a lot of these homeless people. He disliked white civilization so much that he went back to Standing Rock only four months after he started touring.
After Sitting Bull returned to Standing Rock, he had another vision where he heard a meadowlark on a small hill say "Your own people, Lakotas, will kill you." Sitting Bull was still a helpful person. He gave advice to other tribal chiefs, and told his tribe to not give up their land.
In 1890, Sitting Bull was told about the Ghost Dance, a ceremony that was meant to restore the Native American way of life, but the Americans saw it as a threat. Even though he didn’t participate in the Ghost Dance, people were still worried that he might join in, and Lakota police officers were sent to arrest him to try and make him stop the ceremony. On December 15, 1890, he was dragged outside by the Lakota police officers. Then, they shot him dead.
Sitting Bull is considered one of the best Native American Resistance leaders, but Lakota people also remember him as a wonderful singer and a very friendly person.
Sitting Bull was the chief of the Lakota people, and he tried to prevent his people’s land from being taken. Even though he didn’t participate in very many battles, he did many things, like uniting tribes and performing an important ritual.
When Sitting Bull was born, he was named "Jumping Badger" by his father. However, he was given the nickname “Slow” because he never hurried. When he was 14, he joined a war party against the Crow, and struck a Crow warrior with a special stick called a coup stick, which was considered to be an act of bravery. His father later changed his name to “Sitting Bull” because the Native Americans considered buffalo bulls to be brave, courageous, and stubborn. These qualities, along with his leadership, would soon make him a great leader.
Sitting Bull had three or more wives, and a lot of children. One of his favorite children was a son named Crow Foot.
Sitting Bull first fought the Americans in 1863. At this time, the Americans were trying to take Lakota territory. He fought more Americans in following years, and in 1868, he became the chief of the Lakota nation. In 1874, Americans discovered gold in an area in Lakota Territory that was sacred to many Native Americans. Americans settled there, even though an earlier treaty prevented them from doing so. In 1875-1876, the Americans tried to get all Lakota people on reservations, but this just provoked them to defend their land.
In March 1876, lots of U.S. troops moved into Lakota Territory. Sitting Bull realized that he couldn’t defeat the troops alone, so he got the Cheyenne tribe, Crazy Horse, and other tribes to help. Sitting Bull performed a religious ritual where he danced, said prayers to Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, and slashed his arms. He said that he got a vision where the Lakota people defeated the Americans. Because of this vision, Crazy Horse led 500 troops at the Battle of the Rosebud and forced the Americans to retreat. Then, Sitting Bull and about 3000 followers settled near Little Big Horn River. One week later, George A. Custer, a Lt. Colonel, led his troops to attack the settlement in the Battle of the Little Big Horn (Also called Custer’s Last Stand). The Lakota people fought against them, and, just like in Sitting Bull’s vision, Custer’s troops were defeated. However, Sitting Bull didn’t participate in this battle. This provoked more American troops and cavalrymen to come into the area. Lots of chiefs and Lakota people surrendered, but Sitting Bull was stubborn, so he didn’t surrender. He led his band to Canada, which was British territory. Four years later, however, he surrendered because he couldn’t feed his band, which was because buffalo were almost extinct.
After he surrendered, Sitting Bull asked for his own reservation, but he was sent to the Standing Rock reservation instead. Because people were frightened that he might bring an uprising, he was sent to another place for two years. After that, he was sent to Standing Rock Agency in North Dakota. The Native American who was the head of the reservation didn’t want to respect him. In 1885, he could leave the reservation, and he did. He toured in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Sitting Bull didn’t really like their civilization, one of the reasons being the high number of homeless people, so he gave money to a lot of these homeless people. He disliked white civilization so much that he went back to Standing Rock only four months after he started touring.
After Sitting Bull returned to Standing Rock, he had another vision where he heard a meadowlark on a small hill say "Your own people, Lakotas, will kill you." Sitting Bull was still a helpful person. He gave advice to other tribal chiefs, and told his tribe to not give up their land.
In 1890, Sitting Bull was told about the Ghost Dance, a ceremony that was meant to restore the Native American way of life, but the Americans saw it as a threat. Even though he didn’t participate in the Ghost Dance, people were still worried that he might join in, and Lakota police officers were sent to arrest him to try and make him stop the ceremony. On December 15, 1890, he was dragged outside by the Lakota police officers. Then, they shot him dead.
Sitting Bull is considered one of the best Native American Resistance leaders, but Lakota people also remember him as a wonderful singer and a very friendly person.