Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

by

Dee Brown

Satanta Character Analysis

Kiowa Chief who fought a war against the U.S. military for the sake of his people’s land rights. In the short term, Satanta was successful in raiding white settlements disrupting the American train system of the era. But he was eventually defeated in battle and convicted on trumped-up charges. Though Satanta was allowed to live, he’d lost all political power.
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Satanta Character Timeline in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

The timeline below shows where the character Satanta appears in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 11: The War to Save the Buffalo
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Rather than risk a fight, Kiowa chiefs, including Chief Satanta and Chief Lone Wolf, went to Fort Cobb to negotiate with General George Armstrong Custer.... (full context)
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Resistance and Violence Theme Icon
General Sheridan ordered that Satanta and Lone Wolf be released from prison, and Satanta assured Sheridan that his people would... (full context)
Genocide Theme Icon
Resistance and Violence Theme Icon
Shortly after the train raid, Satanta and other Kiowa chiefs met with government agents to discuss rations. The government agents brought... (full context)
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Resistance and Violence Theme Icon
...shot. Lone Wolf agreed, on the condition that the government release the Kiowa chiefs, including Satanta, from prison. (full context)
Genocide Theme Icon
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Resistance and Violence Theme Icon
...Many of these people were murdered by U.S. soldiers. Furthermore, the government still hadn’t released Satanta and his peers from prison—the commissioners claimed that they’d only be released after all Kiowas... (full context)
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Expansion and Manifest Destiny Theme Icon
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Resistance and Violence Theme Icon
Shortly after the release of Satanta, Lone Wolf’s nephew was killed in a fight with a group of soldiers. Lone Wolf... (full context)