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You are here: Home / History / What happened at the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 and how many Lakota Sioux were killed?

What happened at the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 and how many Lakota Sioux were killed?

June 6, 2020 by Karen Hill

In late December 1890, a group of Ghost Dancers, led by Big Foot, set off for the Pine Ridge agency. By voluntarily settling near the agency, Big Foot’s Sioux Indian followers hoped to avoid an encounter with the U.S. Army.

During their journey, the Lakota Sioux camped along Wounded Knee Creek. There they were confronted by troops from the Seventh Cavalry. Cold, tired, and starving, the Native Americans immediately surrendered to the soldiers. Even though the Native Americans posed no threat to them, the troops treated the Ghost Dancers roughly.

The next morning, while the soldiers were grabbing at the Indians’ weapons to disarm them, a shot went off. In a panic, the troops began shooting into the crowd, killing every Native American they could. They chased the survivors, firing at them as they fled for cover.

When the shooting ended, the shores of Wounded Knee Creek were covered with the bodies of some 300 Lakota Sioux. Most of the dead were women, children, and babies.

Related Facts

  • How did Native Americans respond to the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890?
  • What was Wounded Knee II and When did the protest take place?
  • What was Red Cloud's War and and Why did the Lakota Sioux defend the Bozeman Trail?
  • Who was Sitting Bull and When the leader of the Lakota Sioux born?
  • How were Plains Indians warlike and Why were the Sioux and the Pawnee enemies?
  • What are Indian land claims and How much did the United States offer the Lakota for the Black Hills region?

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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