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Oglala Sioux Chief, South Dakota, 1900s

As settlers brought changes, western U.S. Indians in 1890 turned to a doctrine called the ghost-dance religion. They danced until they saw visions of their old way of life renewed and wore ghost shirts that they believed were impervious to bullets. In December 1890 the ghost-dance religion and the Indian Wars ended at Wounded Knee Creek when soldiers slaughtered 200 Sioux.

American Horse (pictured), an Oglala Sioux chief, fought in these wars and ardently pursued fairer treatment by traveling to Washington, D.C., as head of a Sioux delegation.

—Text adapted from the National Geographic book Exploring America's Historic Places, 1997

Photograph by Edward S. Curtis