What would it be like to have everything common and normal in life taken away within a moments notice? The film Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee explores this question through the historical events that took place during the Indian removal era. Furthermore, the film reveals the motives of the U.S. government through the many scenes in which they attempt to negotiate for land with the Sioux Indians. The Sioux refuse to sell their land, so the United States forces the Sioux to pay for the western expansion with life, land, and freedom.
The Sioux Indians had lived on the Dakota Territory for longer than the white men had been in North America, and they would rather die than allow the United States to take their land. The U.S. government used this as an excuse to murder the Indians, making it easier for them to take the lands they wanted. However, before the United States resorted to violence, they attempted to negotiate with the Sioux for their land. These negotiations would often end in threats from the U.S. due to the Sioux’s lack of cooperation. This eventually led to battles between the two parties, where the Sioux would most likely lose and forfeit
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to continue moving westward so it could touch the Pacific Ocean. First, is the loss of freedom. The Indians lost their right to live and think the way they please due to the United States’ lust for territory. Equally important, is the land which the Indians were forced to hand over to the U.S.. This compelled the Indians to move onto reservations and give up the right to hunt. By the same token, is of course the loss of life suffered by the Indians. They fought to keep their land, and perished without success. Overall, the Indians were the only side paying for the United States to expand westward, and the United States was forcing them to do so. Is it right to treat people this way, or should someone have stopped this before it