Wounded Knee Massacre

The Wounded Knee Massacre was an attack upon the Sioux by the United States Army at Wounded Knee, South Dakota on December 28, 1890.

The American government, in an attempt to arrest Sitting Bull, sent an Indian agent to Sitting Bull's camp under the pretext of a ritual called the Ghost dance supposed to confer invincibility. The Indian agent sent someone to arrest Sitting Bull, but ended up having him killed instead, leaving the Sioux without a leader.

Sitting Bull's half-brother Big Foot took over the tribe. On the way to help a fellow chief make peace with the Whites, Big Foot was intercepted and fled to Wounded Knee. Seeing the situation, the Indians laid down their arms in surrender, but the Army, under General Forsyth, opened fire, thus killing at least 300 Native Americans.