The Ghost Dance was a religious movement that emerged among Native American tribes in the late 19th century, particularly in the Western United States. It centered on a ritual dance believed to reunite the living with the spirits of the dead and bring about an era of peace, prosperity, and the restoration of Native American lands and way of life. For example, the Lakota Sioux embraced this practice, hoping it would end white expansion and restore their traditional hunting grounds.
This religious movement held significant importance as a form of resistance and cultural revitalization in the face of aggressive U.S. government policies aimed at assimilation and displacement. It offered hope and unity to tribes struggling to maintain their identity and autonomy. The increased spiritual activity heightened anxieties among white settlers and government officials, who viewed it as a potential precursor to armed rebellion. The benefits of this practice was the hope that it brought to Native Americans.
