Sitting Bull, Native American name Tatanka Yotanka (1831?-1890), Native American leader of the Sioux, born in the region of the Grand River in present-day South Dakota.

Led by Sitting Bull, the Sioux resisted efforts of the United States government to annex their lands and force them to settle on reservations.

Between June 25 and June 26, 1876, the Sioux, with the aid of other tribes, annihilated a punitive expedition commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Sitting Bull and his followers then fled to Canada.

Receiving a promise of amnesty in 1881 and suffering hardship and famine, he returned to U.S. territory. Sitting Bull was put in prison for two years and then settled on a reservation. He continued to be hostile to the settlers.

In 1885 Sitting Bull was allowed to leave the reservation to tour with the Wild West show of Buffalo Bill. There is speculation that permission was given because the Native American police wanted Sitting Bull off the reservation to prevent him from creating problems.

The tense situation among the Sioux was aggravated by followers of the Native American messiah Wovoka, who promised the defeat of the whites. Wovoka introduced the ghost dance, which was supposed to help the Native Americans regain their lands and live in peace. The ghost dance gave the Sioux hope and added to their restlessness.

The army feared an uprising and believed that Sitting Bull was the leading instigator. They had him arrested on December 15, 1890. As he was being led away over the objections of his supporters, a gunfight erupted during which Sitting Bull and 12 others were killed.

Culver Pictures

Sioux shaman Sitting Bull directed preparations for the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, in which Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer died along with every United States soldier in his column. After the battle Sitting Bull fled to Canada with many of his tribe. He returned to the United States in 1881. Years later he befriended William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, shown on the right, and toured the country in his Wild West Show.

"Sitting Bull," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000 http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.