Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee Essay
, Research Paper
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown.
New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1970.
In the Introduction, the writer tells how he put together a book of the unwritten history of the American Indians, based on the authorities records of council meetings with white functionaries. In these meetings, all Indians were allowed to talk. They chose their ain translators, and they told their unwritten history in their ain words. Chapter 1 Begins with Columbus, who foremost called the people & # 8220 ; Indios & # 8221 ; ( p. 1 ) . Therefore, they came to be known as Indians, even though they do non populate in India. Chapter 2 negotiations about the many pacts that the Navaho made with the Americans. The pacts were ever broken and the Navaho ever suffered. Chapter Three is called & # 8220 ; Little Crow & # 8217 ; s War. & # 8221 ; It tells the narrative of the Santee Sioux, who lost their fatherland everlastingly after the American Civil War. Chapter 4 negotiations about the spread of American warfare against the Indians, this clip to the Cheyenne. The slaughter at Sand Creek about destroyed the people. At the terminal of this chapter there is a vocal that the Indians used to sing. Chapter 5 tell the narrative of Powder River, where the US horse invaded and drove the Plains Indians onto reserves. Chief Red Cloud promised to penalize the white work forces if they invaded his state once more, but he knew that he did non hold adequate guns to contend against the US horse. Chapter 6 is titled & # 8220 ; Red Cloud & # 8217 ; s War. & # 8221 ; American functionaries tried to do a pact with all the folks in the country, but the warrior heads could non come to the meeting. They were busy contending against the invasion of General Connor. Governor Newton Edmunds of the Territory of Dakota tried his best, but this war was already go oning. Finally, after much bloodshed, a pact was signed. But many of the Indians were already dead. Besides, they already knew that the white adult male did non maintain his pacts. Chapter 6 ends with a vocal called the Sun Dance Chant. Chapter 7 is titled & # 8220 ; The Merely Good Indian Is A Dead Indian. & # 8221 ; It talks about the awful violent death of many Indians. Chapter 8 tells the narrative of Donehogawa, a Seneca head who was besides a military secretary to General Grant and Commissioner of Indian Affairs.. The Cheyenne and the Sioux
joined together, but still they were non strong plenty to stand up against the US horse. They did non desire to travel to the new reserve. Chapter 9e tells the narrative of Cochise and the Apache battle against the American invasion. Chapter 10 tells how the California Indians held out every bit long as they could, but they lost in the terminal. Captain Jack tried to salvage his people, but in the terminal he was hanged for “crimes” against the US. Chapter 11 tells how the white work forces destroyed the American bison, which the Indians depended on to last. Chapter 12 tells how the Sioux fought for their land in South Dakota. Chapter 13 tells how the US forced the Nez Perce to go forth their place. Chapter 14 tells how the Cheyenne traveled father off from place, looking for a topographic point to populate in peace. Chapters 15 through 18 attention deficit disorders more narratives of Americans occupying the land of the Indians and killing many of them and directing the remainder to reserves. Chapter 19 tells the narrative of Wounded Knee, in which the soldiers massacred many Indians for no good ground. They had a Sun dance because they were trusting for a better life. But the white work forces saw the dance as a menace of war. This chapter has some of the vocals of the Indians.
This book shows a alone position of the Indian and a different manner to look at the Old West. This book tells many narratives and is to the full documented. Together, the narratives demonstrate the systematic devastation of the American Indians in the 2nd half of the 19th century. The writer uses council records, autobiographies, and firsthand descriptions. Therefore, Brown allows the great heads and warriors of many folks to state the narratives in their ain words. They describe the conflicts, slaughters, and broken pacts that eventually left them interrupt and suppress. This book is upseting to read because the narratives have power and focal point. It is the narrative of how the West was lost, non how the West was won. It is a heartbreaking book. A proud and baronial people were cheated out of their fatherland by broken pacts and massacred by the soldiers & # 8217 ; guns. They fought good, and they should be proud of themselves.
Bibliography
Book Report: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown.
New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1970.
