The Plains Sioux and U.S. Colonialism from Lewis and Clark to Wounded Knee

Download or read book The Plains Sioux and U.S. Colonialism from Lewis and Clark to Wounded Knee written by Jeffrey Ostler and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004-07-05 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume, first published in 2004, presents an overview of the history of the Plains Sioux as they became increasingly subject to the power of the United States in the 1800s. Many aspects of this story - the Oregon Trail, military clashes, the deaths of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, and the Ghost Dance - are well-known. Besides providing fresh insights into familiar events, the book offers an in-depth look at many lesser-known facets of Sioux history and culture. Drawing on theories of colonialism, the book shows how the Sioux creatively responded to the challenges of US expansion and domination, while at the same time revealing how US power increasingly limited the autonomy of Sioux communities as the century came to a close. The concluding chapters of the book offer a compelling reinterpretation of the events that led to the Wounded Knee massacre of December 29, 1890.