The Sioux Native American Tribe

The Great Plains have been home to the Sioux for hundreds of years. It is a place where they have had many victories and defeats in battle with other Sioux nations. In the 1800’s many buffalo were found in the mid-west area of the Great Plains where the Sioux lived. The Sioux were skilled buffalo hunters and used every part of the buffalo. Many of the Sioux living in the Black Hills of South Dakota made a treaty with the U.S. government but when gold was found there, the U.S. broke the treaty and took the land from the Sioux. In 1876, the Sioux fought to keep their land in the Battle of Little Big Horn where chief Crazy Horse led the Sioux nation and defeated General George Armstrong Custer and his army.
In the past, the Sioux lived in villages led by a chief who was a strong leader who made important decisions with the village. The men of the community formed a council made up of several groups that discussed and solved problems. The chiefs chose one group each year to make sure that everyone obeyed the law.

Sometimes, Sioux villages joined forces to create a tribe to fight wars or hunt. All together, they equaled a council fire. Each tribe has a tribal chief today and there is a reservation government. Each reservation has a tribal council which includes a chairperson similar to a chief who helps make decisions for the reservation.

The Sioux Nation is a special and unique nation in ever way possible. As time goes on, I truly hope that many others will be able to discover these people and be just as amazed and awed by the inspiring culture of the Sioux.