How did the Ghost Dance add to at Wounded Knee?

The Ghost Dance contributed to the tensions at Wounded Knee by exacerbating the fears and hostilities between the Native American tribes and the U.S. Army. The Ghost Dance was a spiritual movement among the Native American tribes that emerged in the late 19th century. It promised participants a return to a traditional way of life, free from white influence and oppression. The movement gained widespread popularity among various tribes, including the Lakota Sioux.

The U.S. authorities viewed the Ghost Dance as a potential source of unrest and resistance. They banned its practice and actively sought to suppress it. This prohibition further strained the already tense relations between the tribes and the government.

The situation reached a critical point in December 1890 when a group of Lakota Sioux, led by Chief Big Foot, decided to seek refuge at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The U.S. Army, under the command of Colonel James W. Forsyth, intercepted and surrounded them near Wounded Knee Creek.

During negotiations, a shot rang out, and a tense confrontation ensued. The U.S. troops opened fire on the Lakota camp, massacring hundreds of men, women, and children. The tragic incident became known as the Wounded Knee Massacre.

The Ghost Dance had heightened the spiritual fervor and determination of the Lakota Sioux. They saw it as a last hope to reclaim their cultural and traditional way of life. However, the U.S. government's hostile response to the movement and its attempts to suppress it contributed to the volatile atmosphere that ultimately led to the bloody confrontation at Wounded Knee.