Why Sitting Bull is a Very Important Figure in US History

The Lakota Sioux Tribes are a very important part of US history. The chief of the Sioux is also very important in US history. He had to fight very hard against the US and is considered a true hero.
Sitting Bull was born in 1831 near Grand River in the Dakota Territory, which is now known as South Dakota. When he was born his father originally named him “Jumping Badger”. After he joined his uncle and his father on a raid of a Crow Camp, he was renamed to “Sitting Bull”. “Sitting Bull soon joined the Strong Heart warrior society and the Silent Eaters” - Sitting Bull, History.com, History.com Editors, October 23, 2019.
Sitting Bull’s first battle against the US was in June 1863 when they went after the Santee Sioux for the Minnesota Uprising. This started when federal units stopped giving food to the Sioux living along the Minnesota River. Over 300 Sioux were arrested in that battle. However, president Lincoln let all except 39 of the Sioux go.
Sitting Bull went against the US again in July 1964 when forces from General Alfred Sully fought against an Indian Trading Village. Eventually forcing the Sioux to retreat. These battles convinced Sitting Bull not to sign any more US treaties that sent the Sioux to live on reservations. “His resolve was not shared by all. In 1868, Red Cloud, or Mahpiua Luta (1822-1909), chief of the Oglala Teton Dakota Sioux, signed the Fort Laramie Treaty with 24 other tribal leaders and representatives of the U.S.” Sitting Bull, History.com, History.com Editors, October 23, 2019.
This treaty created the Great Sioux Reservation, which went from South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Sitting Bull’s anti-treaty stance got him a lot of followers. In 1869, he was made supreme leader of the bands of Lakota Sioux. the first person to ever have a title like this.
The  peace of the Fort Laramie Treaty did not last long. In 1874, gold was discovered in Black Hills, a place sacred to the Sioux, but was in the Sioux Reservation. White settlers searching for gold rushed to get the land for themselves. The U.S. government backed out of the treaty, demanding that any Sioux who resisted to move to the new reservation lines by January 31, 1876 would be considered an enemy of the United States.
Sitting Bull refused to move. He got together an army and had a face off against General George Crook in June 1876, he was victorious in the battle of Rosebud. His forces moved to the valley of the little Bighorn River.
In a camp at Little Bighorn River Sitting bull revered a leader, or “Wichasa Wakan,” performed in a Sun Dance where he danced for 36 hours.  He fell into a trance. When he came back, he said that he had a vision of U.S. soldiers falling  from the sky, which he interpreted as saying that the US army would fall very soon.
On June 25, 600 forces of General George Custer, went into the valley. Sitting Bull told the children and women of the tribe that they were safe while Crazy Horse led 3,000 Native Americans to victory in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Custer and all of his forces were killed in what is known as Custer’s Last Stand.
After the Battle of Little Bighorn, the US government tried even harder to hunt down the Sioux. In May 1877, he led his people to Canada for safety. The Canadian forces seemed to be welcoming of the Sioux. They had no issues with them being on their land.
Although, Canadian forces were not going to grant Sitting Bull a reserve or provide rations of food. As a result, in July 1881 Sitting Bull surrendered to American officials at Fort Buford, North Dakota. He was a prisoner before being moved to the Standing Rock Reservation.
 The Standing Rock Reservation soon became part of a controversy when the Ghost Dance Movement started to gain popularity. “Followers believed that deceased tribe members would rise from the dead along with killed buffalo while all white people would disappear.” Sitting Bull, History.com, History.com Editors, October 23, 2019. Worried that Sitting Bull would join in on the movement and rebel, police advanced to his cabin to arrest him. When Sitting Bull would not go quietly, a man shot one of the police members, which the police retaliated by shooting Sitting Bull in the head, killing him.
Sitting Bull is a very important Native American Figure because he fought very long and hard against the US’s mistreatment of the Sioux.  He would never back down for his people and won many battles. He was a very brave fighter, and was very good to his people.