Commonality between Native American Chiefs
Red Cloud, Little Turtle, Popé, and Sitting Bull are all Native American chiefs. They were
all born in different time periods, and had to endure different problems. None of these Native
American chiefs were from the same tribe. It does not seem that there is anything in common
for these four Native American chiefs, except for their resistance to the white people. They all
had to deal with different problems from the whites, but each Native American chief lead the
fight against them.
Sitting Bull was the Native American chief of the Sioux tribes. Sitting Bull’s tribe was
located in South Dakota. Sitting Bull had no problems with the American people until 1874. In
1874, gold was discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Sioux began to have conflict
with the U.S. authorities. In the 1870s, The Great Sioux Wars was led by Sitting Bull against the
U.S. authorities. One of the most famous battles from the wars is the Battle of the Little
Bighorn. In this battle Sitting Bull, along with many other tribal armies, defeated federal troops.
Sitting Bull fought against the U.S. authorities until he surrendered to U.S. forces when his
people were starving. Sitting Bull, and his tribe were forced to settle on a reservation.
Little Turtle was a Native American chief of the Miami tribe. The Miami tribe lived in Fort
Wayne, Indiana. The U.S. Congress launched a campaign against the Native Americans who
were raiding settlers in the Northwest Territory. Little Turtle decided to attack American troops.
Little Turtle defeated Gen. Josiah Harmar’s militia. Gen. Arthur St. Clair brought his army to
build forts between the Ohio River and Lake Erie. Little Turtle and his tribe attacked and
defeated Gen. Arthur St. Clair and his army. Little Turtle was an unstoppable force against the
U.S. until 1793. Little Turtle lost the fight against Gen. Anthony Wayne. Little Turtle signed the
Treaty of Greenville, which made Indians cede much of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan to
the U.S. After signing the treaty, he advocated peace and did not fight the U.S. army anymore.
Red Cloud was a Native American chief of the Oglala Sioux tribe. Rec Cloud lived in
north-central Nebraska. The U.S. government began expansion. Red Cloud was instrumental in
beginning the resistance to the expansion in his territory. Red Cloud refused to sign treaties and
negotiations with the U.S. government. The U.S. government were building forts along the trail
of Fort Laramie, and this enraged Red Cloud. Red Cloud united several different tribes and they
began to drive away the soldiers. When the U.S. government sent in reinforcements, Red Cloud
and his army still beat them. Captain William Judd Fetterman led a party of soldiers to eliminate
the Native American problem. Their work was to no avail, because they were slaughtered by
more than 1,000 Native American warriors. Red Cloud continued to fight any white man that
ventured into his territory. Red Cloud signed a treaty with the U.S. government, but he refused
to move from his land. The Sioux tribes were finally forced out of their land when gold was
found in the Black Hills. Red Cloud stepped down as leader and worked in Washington D.C., to
campaign for better living conditions on the reservation.
Popé was a Native American chief of the Pueblo Indians. The Pueblo tribes lived in
present-day New Mexico. Unlike the other chiefs, Popé did not fight against the U.S. authorities.
Popé fought against the Spanish authorities. In 1675, the Spanish began to strop native religious
practices. Popé began to meet with other Pueblo leaders, in order to find a way to protect
themselves. Popé began a revolt in 1680 and the revolt was a success. Popé was fighting to get
rid of the Christian and Spanish culture. Popé and his army split up and attacked many different
places are once. In the end, the pueblos killed 21 Franciscan friars and more than 400 Spanish
colonists. The Spanish people who survived the attacks fled to Santa Fe. In Santa Fe, Popé’s
army surrounded them. After days, the Spanish people escaped Indian siege and went to El
Paso. Popé had driven out the Spanish people from New Mexico and tried to eradicate every
sign of them being there. After Popé died the Spanish people took over New Mexico once again.
The common factor that applied to Sitting Bull, Little Turtle Red Cloud, and Popé was
their fight. They all fought against the authorities were against them. All of them, except for
Popé, fought against the U.S. government. Not all of the wars were victories, but it did largely
impact their tribe and the future of their people.