born с 1831, near Grand River, Dakota Territory, U.S.
died Dec. 15, 1890, on the Grand River in South Dakota
Teton Sioux chief under whom the Sioux peoples united in their struggle for survival.
Frequent skirmishes between the U.S. Army and Sitting Bull's warriors occurred in 1863–68, at the end of which the Sioux agreed to accept a reservation in southwestern Dakota Territory. When gold was discovered in the Black Hills in the mid-1870s, further outbreaks occurred. At the Battle of the Rosebud, troops under Gen. George Crook were forced to retreat; and at the Battle of George Armstrong Custer and his men were killed. In 1877 Sitting Bull led his followers into Canada, but, with the buffalo reduced to near extinction, starvation eventually drove the Sioux to surrender. From 1883 Sitting Bull lived on Indian Agency lands, at one point (1885) traveling with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. During the {{link=Ghost Dance">Ghost Dance movement, Sitting Bull was arrested. He was killed when his warriors tried to rescue him.