Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did the U.S. government ban the Ghost Dance in 1890?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Native American music Native Americans playing drums at a powwow.

The U.S. government’s opposition to the Ghost Dance in 1890 was rooted in a desire to maintain control over Native Americans and enforce policies of forced assimilation.12

While the movement, led by the Northern Paiute prophet Wovoka, was fundamentally peaceful and focused on spiritual renewal, U.S. officials wrongly characterized it as a militant uprising. The government feared that the movement, which promised the restoration of traditional lands and ways of life, posed a direct threat to its authority and its efforts to "civilize" tribes like the Lakota.12

This climate of fear and systemic oppression—exacerbated by the reduction of reservation lands and widespread hunger—led to increased military tension. The government's suppression of the movement ultimately contributed to the death of Sitting Bull and culminated in the Wounded Knee Massacre, where hundreds of Lakota were killed.314