Control over Native Americans

During the persecution of Native Americans by the whites, for Native Americans to be successful they needed to assimilate white's ways. Once Native Americans were separated and taken away from their homeland and culture they were to assimilate white man's culture. Native American's pride was one the things that they needed to assimilate from White Americans. Indians didn't believed in Christianity, whites believed that Chrsitianity should be the only religion in the U.S. Whites also believed that by changing Native American's religion to Christianity they will start to be civilized.

One example of assimmilation by that time was Charles Eastman. Charles Eastman was born on February 19, 1858. Eastman belonged to the Sioux tribe, later on he was brought by his father to live a new life. He assimilated the American culture, he also worked to improve the lives of youths. Eastman became a writer, a national lecturer and a reformer. By the time Charles Eastman became a well-known person in the Congress, he divided the land into small reservations. Indians were forced to move into these rservations and some were threatened by the whites to move into the reservations but Native Americans refused to move into the reservations.

When Charles Eastman was brought by his father to be civilized, for him to become civilized he needed to change his Indian name to an American name. Charles had to choose a new name related to the current religion (Christianity). In school he learned English language which was the common language spoken by white americans.


Native Americans did not agree with the Congress's agreement. The Congress believed that no one should have land if they don't own the land. Native Americans saw the Congress's agreement less profitable for them but more profitable for the whites although the bill that was passed by the Congress allowed Native Americans to live in the reservations providing them food, shelter, education(schools), health care, etc.

According to prehistoric times, the use of the Ghost Dance was used by many Native Americans during this era. The Ghost Dance was a religious movement which was based on Native American's belief systems. The circle dance better known to be used in the Ghost Dance was the traditional issue. In the Wounded Knee Massacre, U.S. forces killed many members from the Sioux tribe. The government of the U.S. feared and anticipated that the Ghost Dance was kind of a threat for them. Forces were sent to set camp at Pine Ridge and they were convinced that Native Americans were preparing for battle against them.

Native Americans lived a harsh and difficult life dealing with White Americans. At the end, Charles Eastman regreted coming to this new world(white's world), although he stood in a high position in the Congress but the whole issue affected him mentally, he almost became a dysfunctional man. Under no circumstances Charles Eastman wanted to harm his people but that all he did was to benefit his own kind and with great effort Eastman achieved his goals in the need of helping his people.