Page One
In the introduction, what parallels does Ambrose see in the lives of Crazy Horse and Custer?
-“Two men who died as they lived. They were both war lovers, men of aggression with deeply
rooted instinct to charge the enemy, rout him, kill him. Men of supreme courage, they were
natural-born leaders in a combat crisis, the type to whom others instinctively looked for guidance
and inspiration. They were always the first to charge the enemy, and last to retreat.”
-They were born about the same time, and died within a year of each other
-Both had happy childhoods.
-Became honored leaders at a young age. (Custer 23. CH 24)
-Humiliated and punished at the height of their careers for breaking laws to be with the women
they loved. Recovered from the blows and came back to leadership roles.
-Had younger brothers who were even bigger daredevils and risk-takers then they were.
-Did not drink
-Avid hunters.
-Loved horses, and riding at full speed day in and day out
What was life on the plains like for the Sioux? What impression did the fur traders have of the
Sioux? What observations did Francis Parkman make?
- There were many horses, and abundance of buffalo for food, they would combine their
tribes to protect each other, they need not believe in dividing the rich and the poor. If a
man had too many horses then he would make sure someone that did not have a horse
now had one. Not one single person alone was wealthy, but the tribe together was.
-The fur traders believed that the problem with the plain Indians is that they were too
rich. They thought they were lazy and would not work. They commented on their
bravery, endurance, and horsemanship. They ate to much and had no plans for the
future.
-Francis Parkman observed how a whole village could decide not to do any work that day
and sleep the whole day away. However, if they were awakened to do something they were
full of energy. He could not keep up with them when they were awake. They could pack
up a single village in little time and be on there way.
Why were the Sioux “… in a state of flux” when Crazy Horse was born. What did Sitting Bull
think?
-They did not want to change their ways of living but they wanted the white man’s guns,
coffee, whiskey, and metal. Al of which they could not have if they did not change their
ways.
-He wanted his people to go back to the ways of his ancestors. “The whites may get me at
last, but I will have good times till then. You are fools to make yourselves slaves to a piece
of fat bacon, some hardtack, and a little sugar and coffee.”
