Introduction
For the workshop, you will be exposed to multiple lenses of regarding the Sioux War of 1876. We will examine a number of primary sources from the soldier, civilian, and Native American perspectives. For each day of the workshop, there are primary and secondary sources that create narratives and counter narratives of the events in the immediate aftermath of the war as well as how it has been portrayed throughout American history. Many of those sources are included on this websites and are arranged by the day in which we will discuss them. During the workshop you will have the opportunity to explore how you can use these in your classroom. Also included below are some secondary sources that may be useful to you as well. The resources presented here should not be considered comprehensive.
Please Note: All NEH Summer Scholars are expected to be fully engaged and to participate in all aspects of the project.
Day One: “Introduction to Perspectives”
Workshop Introduction and Context
Select Suggested Readings Available for Download on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Alvin M. Josephy, "Indian Policy and the Battle of the Little Bighorn"
Dan Flores, "The Great Contraction: Bison and Indians in Northern Plains Environmental History"
Robert Utley, "War Houses in Sioux Country"
Michael Malone and Richard Roeder, " 1876 on the Reservations: The Indian 'Question'"
Day Two: "Perspectives"
Central Questions:
Links to Primary Sources
Art
Film
Literature and Fiction
Poetry
Music
Native American Oral Tradition
U.S. Military Accounts
Native America Ledger Art
Newspapers
Maps
Select Suggested Readings Available for Download on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Margot Liberty, "Native American Oral and Written Perspectives on the Indian Wars"
Paul Stekler, "Custer and Crazy Horse Ride Again ... and Again.... and Again: Filmmaking and History at the Little Bighorn"
Brian Dippie, "Chivalry's Afterglow: The Poets and Custer's Last Stand"
Daniel B. Thorp, "Historical Methods and the Little Bighorn"
You may find these primary source worksheets from the Library of Congress and National Archives useful in your classrooms as well.
Day Three: “Prelude to Little Bighorn Battle: Sitting Bull’s Vision and the Rosebud Battle”
Central Questions:
Links to Primary Sources
Accounts of the Battle of the Rosebud
Select Suggested Readings Available for Download on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Cornelius C. Smith, " Crook and Crazy Horse"
Henry P. Walker, "George Crook: 'The Grey Fox': Prudent, Compassionate Indian Fighter"
Day Four: “The Battle of Little Bighorn”
Central Questions:
Links to Primary Sources
US Military Accounts of the Battle
Reno Court of Inquiry
Mapping the Battle
Native American Oral Histories of the Battle
Native American Ledger Art
Newspaper Accounts of the Battle
Select Suggested Readings Available for Download on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Henry Lane, "Custer's Massacre: How the News First Reached the Outer World"
Scott Sagan, "The Face of Battle without the Rules of War: Lessons from Red Horse and the Battle of the Little Bighorn"
Day Five: “From Memory to Myth”
Central Questions:
Links to Primary Sources
Literature and Fiction
Film
Art
Poetry
Music
Court of Inquiry of Maj. Marcus Reno
Select Suggested Readings on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Brian Dippie, "What Valor Is: Artists and the Mythic Moment"
Paul Andrew Hutton, "From Little Bighorn to Little Big Man: The Changing Image of a Western Hero in Popular Culture"
Paul Andrew Hutton, "Correct in Every Detail: General Custer in Hollywood"
Brian Dippie, "They Died with their Boots On: Re-enactments and Custer's Last Stand"
Rex Myers, "Montana Editors and the Custer Battle"
Brian Dippie, "The Southern Response to Custer's Last Stand"
Day Six: “What Does the Battle of Little Bighorn Mean?”
Central Questions:
Select Suggested Readings on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Robert M. Utley, " Whose Shrine Is It? The Ideological Struggle for Custer Battlefield"
Charles Rankin, " An Indian Memorial for the Little Bighorn"
Gregory F. Michno, "Custer's Last Stand: Protecting an Endangered Species"
Michael Elliot, "Indian Patriots on Last Stand Hill"
Day One: “Introduction to Perspectives”
Workshop Introduction and Context
Select Suggested Readings Available for Download on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Alvin M. Josephy, "Indian Policy and the Battle of the Little Bighorn"
Dan Flores, "The Great Contraction: Bison and Indians in Northern Plains Environmental History"
Robert Utley, "War Houses in Sioux Country"
Michael Malone and Richard Roeder, " 1876 on the Reservations: The Indian 'Question'"
Day Two: "Perspectives"
Central Questions:
- How does the viewpoint or perspective of the person telling/retelling a historic event shape our understanding?
- Why is it important to look at a historical event from many points of view?
- What is the difference between truth and fact?
Links to Primary Sources
Art
Film
Literature and Fiction
Poetry
Music
Native American Oral Tradition
U.S. Military Accounts
Native America Ledger Art
Newspapers
Maps
Select Suggested Readings Available for Download on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Margot Liberty, "Native American Oral and Written Perspectives on the Indian Wars"
Paul Stekler, "Custer and Crazy Horse Ride Again ... and Again.... and Again: Filmmaking and History at the Little Bighorn"
Brian Dippie, "Chivalry's Afterglow: The Poets and Custer's Last Stand"
Daniel B. Thorp, "Historical Methods and the Little Bighorn"
You may find these primary source worksheets from the Library of Congress and National Archives useful in your classrooms as well.
Day Three: “Prelude to Little Bighorn Battle: Sitting Bull’s Vision and the Rosebud Battle”
Central Questions:
- How do the points of view regarding the events leading to the Battle of the Rosebud differ? What were the “truths” of each account? Where do the “facts” agree? Disagree?
- How do the various accounts of the battle compare to each other? Can you reconstruct a “factual” account of the battle from them?
- Beyond the “facts,” how does each account related to the perspectives and subsequent actions of the parties involved?
- What were the different perspectives on the importance of the Battle of the Rosebud after the fact?
Links to Primary Sources
Accounts of the Battle of the Rosebud
Select Suggested Readings Available for Download on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Cornelius C. Smith, " Crook and Crazy Horse"
Henry P. Walker, "George Crook: 'The Grey Fox': Prudent, Compassionate Indian Fighter"
Day Four: “The Battle of Little Bighorn”
Central Questions:
- How does each source present a particular point of view or cultural interpretation? What are the similarities and differences?
- How do the different artistic mediums emphasize differences in each account?
- How do the authors/artists draw on and transform source material in their specific works? What does that reveal about cultural or artistic interpretations of the events?
Links to Primary Sources
US Military Accounts of the Battle
Reno Court of Inquiry
Mapping the Battle
Native American Oral Histories of the Battle
Native American Ledger Art
Newspaper Accounts of the Battle
Select Suggested Readings Available for Download on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Henry Lane, "Custer's Massacre: How the News First Reached the Outer World"
Scott Sagan, "The Face of Battle without the Rules of War: Lessons from Red Horse and the Battle of the Little Bighorn"
Day Five: “From Memory to Myth”
Central Questions:
- How did the battle become a cultural icon?
- How was the particular point of view of the battle reflected in different artistic mediums including what was emphasized or absent?
- How were the particular points of view or cultural experiences represented from the Native point of view? What were the meanings of it? What was the importance of the differences?
- How did the different representations transform the “meaning” of the battle?
Links to Primary Sources
Literature and Fiction
Film
Art
Poetry
Music
Court of Inquiry of Maj. Marcus Reno
Select Suggested Readings on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Brian Dippie, "What Valor Is: Artists and the Mythic Moment"
Paul Andrew Hutton, "From Little Bighorn to Little Big Man: The Changing Image of a Western Hero in Popular Culture"
Paul Andrew Hutton, "Correct in Every Detail: General Custer in Hollywood"
Brian Dippie, "They Died with their Boots On: Re-enactments and Custer's Last Stand"
Rex Myers, "Montana Editors and the Custer Battle"
Brian Dippie, "The Southern Response to Custer's Last Stand"
Day Six: “What Does the Battle of Little Bighorn Mean?”
Central Questions:
- How has the interpretation of the battle changed since the 1960s? What factors have influenced the changing interpretations?
- How is the battle portrayed in a contemporary setting at re-enactments at the battlefield?
- What themes, as identified from the week’s activities, are represented at the re-enactments? What are the meanings of those themes?
Select Suggested Readings on the Secondary Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
Robert M. Utley, " Whose Shrine Is It? The Ideological Struggle for Custer Battlefield"
Charles Rankin, " An Indian Memorial for the Little Bighorn"
Gregory F. Michno, "Custer's Last Stand: Protecting an Endangered Species"
Michael Elliot, "Indian Patriots on Last Stand Hill"