June 25, 1876: An Interpretation of an Historical Event Essential Question:

How should events from the Indian Wars be commemorated by the federal government?

Background

The Battle of Little Bighorn was one in a series of conflicts that occurred during the American attempt to remove native tribes from the West. Between 1850 and 1890, the military subdued numerous tribes through a concerted effort to destroy the buffalo and disrupt hunting patterns. The battle along the Big Horn River emerged from transgressions of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty. The treaty, resulting from ’s defeat of the United States Army in 1866-67, promised that the United States would abandon forts along the Bozeman Trail and granted the access to the sacred Black Hills and all territory to the west. Incursions by homesteaders, miners, and travelers, as well an American government-sponsored exploration for gold in the Black Hills quickly raised tensions between the Sioux and the American military. General , famous for his efforts in the , led a military force into the Black Hills to seek gold. In 1876, Custer was ordered to assist in rounding up the Sioux Indians and placing them on the reservation. Attacking at dawn on the morning of June 25, 1876, the year of America’s 100th anniversary, Custer was defeated by , , and the collection of tribes encamped along the Greasy Grass, near Hardin, . Although a deflating defeat for the Seventh Cavalry and General Custer, it turned out to be a temporary setback when subsequently the Sioux were defeated and forced onto the reservations. Even Sitting Bull, after four years in Canada, capitulated in 1881 and moved onto the reservations. By 1890, native resistance had ended.

Although the fight at the Little Bighorn River and the eventual surrender of Sitting Bull and the Lakota Sioux occurred in the nineteenth century, the late twentieth century saw a new incarnation of the battle, which continued to resonate throughout American popular culture. Images of Custer and his famous “last stand” appeared in movies, on lunch boxes, and as a tool to advertise cigarettes and beer. In the 1980s, the question of how to commemorate the events that occurred on June 25, 1876 was raised. Should the park that had been created on the site of the battlefield – called Custer Battlefield National Monument -- commemorate the valiant defeat of the enigmatic General George Armstrong Custer, or a victory by the Sioux and other native tribes that were attacked? After both a contentious debate and a thorough reinterpretation of what happened resulting from a brushfire that exposed many heretofore undiscovered archeological artifacts, the federal government, in 1993, changed the name of the park from Custer Battlefield National Monument to Little Big Horn National Battlefield Monument. The debate over how to commemorate the events spoke to the power of myths and icons in American history, the culture wars of the 1990s, and the continual reinterpretation of the past that defines a rigorous study of history.

This lesson explores both battles: the one in 1876 and the one in the 1990s. You will be asked to determine the causes of the troubles between the Sioux and the American government and how the events of June 25th have been interpreted, and then to debate how those events should be commemorated by the federal government.

Objectives 1. compare and contrast images of an historical event; 2. determine the causes of, and motivations for, the Battle of the Little Bighorn; and 3. develop an interpretation of how to commemorate the events of June 25, 1876.

Activity One:

Initiate investigation by viewing images of the American perspective of the events of June 25, 1876:

Examine the pictures and:

• describe what is happening; • describe the emotions evoked by the image; and • describe the message being conveyed by the image.

Next, analyze the images of the event from the Native American perspective:

Examine the pictures and:

• describe what is happening; • describe the emotions evoked by the image; • describe the message being conveyed by the image; and • describe how this image differs from the first.

Do the images convey different interpretations of the same event? Why or why not?

Each of the visual representations expresses an interpretation of the events that occurred on June 25, 1876, and how the representation sheds light on the recent controversy over what to call the battle’s location. Activity Two: Organize into groups of three and you will use Resource Sheet 2. Silently read your source and identify:

• how the author describes the events of June 26, 1876; • who the author sees as the hero and why; and • how the author thinks the event should be remembered (for example as a victory, defeat, or massacre).

Each group will present its source to the class and explain the perspective of the author on the events of June 25, 1876, on General George A. Custer, on the Native Americans, and on how the events from that day should be remembered. Students should record their notes in their notebooks.

GTS Discussion:

• Why did some perspectives influence your decision making and others not? How do you weigh the differing interpretations? • Should the story to be told emphasize the American military and General Custer, or the Native Americans? • Is this a story of victory or defeat? • Is it possible to provide a balanced interpretation of the events of June 25, 1876? How? What artifacts, documents, and other sources can help tell this story?

Assessment:

Using Resource Sheet 3 and based on our previous discussion, select one title to give the National Park Services monument commemorating the battle that occurred on June 25, 1876. You should justify your choice by discussing the varying historical interpretations of the event, as well as the facts surrounding its causes and consequences.