第5章 Lesson 5 Who was Crazy Horse?

Because so much is not known about him, Crazy Horse is something of a mythical figure. We do know that he was a great warrior of leader of the Lakota Sioux. He was very well known for his resistance against the US government and threats against the Native American way of life. It is thought that he was born in the Dakotas in the 1840s. His father was a medicine man who was also called Crazy Horse. Historians believe the name was passed on once the son proved himself in battle.

Crazy Horse had his first serious run in with US soldiers on the old Oregon Trail in July 1865. He used himself as a decoy to draw soldiers out of hiding. In the following year, he studied how soldiers went about in battle, and perfected his own guerrilla skills. Along with Sitting Bull, a holy man and Native American chief, he fought to resist the development of reservations.

Crazy Horse led his soldiers against General George Crook at Rosebud Creek, exploiting weak spots, and engaging them in hand to hand combat. Following this victory, he and his soldiers joined Sitting Bull at his camp of Sioux and Cheyenne. When General George Custer attacked their camp, they were swiftly defeated. Still other US forces continued to pursue them, eventually chasing them all the way into Canada. When Crazy Horse was finally arrested in September of 1877, he still did not give up. However, when he saw that he was to be imprisoned, he began to struggle and was stabbed to death. This scene has been retold many times over the years with conflicting details and this has contributed to the mystique of Crazy Horse.

I. Word List

resistance: to fight against something

holy: spiritual

decoy: a kind of trick

combat: fighting

II. Vocabulary Skills—Find the correct words in the reading.

1. places where many Native Americans live: r _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2. to go after, chase: p _ _ _ _ _

3. to go against: r _ _ _ _ _

4. the unknown: m _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5. in trouble with the law: a _ _ _ _ _ _ _

III. Answer the following questions.

1. What are some things that are known about Crazy Horse?

___________________________________________________________.

2. Why was Crazy Horse a hero to his people?

___________________________________________________________.

3. Who was another Native American who fought against US forces?

___________________________________________________________.

4. How Did Crazy Horse die?

___________________________________________________________.

5. Why was Crazy Horse a great warrior?

___________________________________________________________.

IV. Wrong Sentences—There is a mistake in each sentence. Correct them.

1. Crazy Horse's grandfather was also named Crazy Horse.__________

2. Crazy Horse was finally arrested in Mexico.__________

3. Crazy Horse's uncle was a medicine man.__________

4. Crazy Horse was a great wagon maker.__________

5. Sitting Bull was Crazy Horse's cousin.__________