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Tertiary sourceDocument1911

Sitting Bull Entry, 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica

1911

A 1911 reference encyclopedia entry summarizing Sitting Bull's life as a Dakota Sioux chief and medicine man.

A reference work summary of Sitting Bull's life, written for general readers decades after his death.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This is an entry from the 1911 edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, describing Sitting Bull as a chief and medicine man of the Dakota Sioux. It summarizes his birth, his role in conflicts with white settlers, his time in Canada, his later life at Standing Rock Agency, and his death in 1890.

Why it matters

Written about two decades after Sitting Bull's death, this encyclopedia entry shows how he was summarized for a general reference audience in the early 20th century. It reflects the historical narrative and language common to encyclopedias of that era.

Look closer

  • What words does the entry use to describe Sitting Bull's actions, and what tone do they create?
  • Why might an encyclopedia from 1911 describe events differently than someone who lived through them?
  • What important details might be missing from such a short summary?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sitting Bull (Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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