Essay About Native Americans And American Armed Forces

Events And Effects Ofwounded KneeEssay Preview: Events And Effects Ofwounded KneeReport this essayDuring the Spring of 1973 in an act of protest, around 200 Native Americans occupied the village of Wounded Knee on the Indian Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Those among the occupiers included over 60 tribal descendants who were either members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) or supporters of traditional Native American belief and practice. In 1890, Wounded Knee had been the site of a tragic massacre in which approximately 300 Indians had been killed. This fact, along with the new protest attracted world-wide attention and support.

And the reason for this 71-day act of rebellion? The members of AIM were demanding certain rights granted to their past relatives by the American Government, such as the right to self-govern as well as to the land surrounding the Black Hills. These rights were given to the Lakota in a series of treaties in 1890. In addition to this, they were calling for an end to government-supported brutality and intimidation against members of AIM on the reservation.

Armed with few guns and little ammunition, the Indians fought against American Armed forces, including the FBI, US ARMY, and the state police. Two natives were killed in this exchange and many more were injured. The battle lasted long enough to gain support from all over, giving much praise to the courageous underdogs. Finally, a “peace pact” was signed between the two sides, which garunteed fair treatment of the activists as well as a review and reconsideration of past treaties. Unfortunately, these promises were never fully carried out, and much persecution of these people ensued during the following years. Although this may be considered some what of a diplomatic failure, the incident did have an international symbolic message that has risen question to the social, economic, and political aspects of the Native Americans today.

In the aftermath of the July 25, 2001 attacks in the Hidalgo County, TXH, local media and community leaders (including the State Police) created the Hidalgo County Task Force to gather evidence to make its case before the federal grand jury, and also began preparing a documentary film in advance to provide the public with evidence to believe about this incident as a historical and cultural experience. Search Hidalgo County’s Hidalgo County Public Library for articles on this project. Document the Hidalgo County History and Community, by John Henry Sutter and John J. G. DeRosa. For a more in-depth look at what motivated the attacks, visit this short video clip from a local news report from Texas.

Tampa State News

On Oct. 4, 2001, an armed group headed by an unidentified Native American from the Hidalgo County area entered our nation’s capital and targeted the city of Tampa, Florida. The attack did not appear to result in any fatalities and at least two of our nation’s most prominent Native Americans – the Hidalgo County Sheriff and his FBI officers were dead on arrival. The Hidalgo County SWAT team used search-and-rescue techniques to locate the gunman but it appears he fled inside the hotel suite of the hotel and was captured by the firemen. No injuries were reported. The gunman was arrested.