The Lakota lived near the source of the Mississippi River in what is now Minnesota long before Europeans arrived. During the 1600s the Lakota began to migrate west to the prairie near the Missouri River. travel was very difficult. To make it easier, were sometimes used to pull sleds loaded with goods. There were no in North America at this time. By the 1500s Spanish
explorers and colonists arrived bringing horses for their
new colonies. Some horses escaped and formed herds
that roamed the plains. The Lakota used these horses.
Following the Buffalo
With horses the Lakota began following herds on
the plains. The buffalo made up almost their entire
economy. In the 1860s, hunters were hired to shoot buffalo
to feed the hundreds of railroad company workers. With
the hunters could kill as many as 150 buffalo in a
day. By the late 1800s, few buffalo were left. Without them, the way of life was ruined. Some blamed the
settlers and began to fight with them.
Fighting for a Way of Life
To end the fighting, the Lakota were forced to move to a
reservation in South Dakota. The Lakota did not like the
changes in their lifestyle, but they did like an area called the Black Hills. It was a good hunting ground and was in many legends. In 1874, was discovered in the Black Hills. The government wanted the land back. Sitting Bull refused to give up the land. In 1876, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer led 675 soldiers toward the Little Big Horn River in . Custer's troops found a large camp of Lakota warriors led by Sitting Bull and . Custer decided to fight the Native Americans despite being greatly outnumbered. Custer and all his troops died in the battle. Some call this "."
