MONTANA 1948 ISSUES IN THE TEXT

SETTING AND CONTEXT Bentrock, Montana, USA Cold, impoverished, barren environment Sioux Indian tribe live in nearby settlement The text reveals events that occurred over the summer of 1948 Note it is based on a situation after WW2 Wild west context

THEMES Honesty and integrity Professionalism Family pride Discrimination of Indians Power and privilege Medical ethics

MAIN CHARACTERS David, his parents: Wes and Gail Uncle Frank and wife Gloria Deputy sheriff, Len McAuley & wife Daisy Marie Little Soldier, the Hayden’s servant Julian and Enid, David’s grandparents Ronnie Tall Bear, Marie’s boyfriend Ollie Young Bear & wife Doris(Strickland)

MAIN EVENTS Marie becomes ill with pneumonia She is fearful of Frank and refuses his services as a doctor Gail talks to Marie, discovers that the Indian girls accuse Frank of molesting them She suddenly dies Wes investigates the allegations, after David tells him he saw Frank’s truck the day Marie died Wes locks his brother up in his basement His father demands he releases his brother Next day Julian sends over his men to release Frank, but fail Frank commits suicide in the basement The family cover up the death Wes and his family leave town

OUTCOMES Justice? Did Frank’s death resolve the victimisation of the Indians? Truth? Did Wes uphold the truth? Regrets Peace in Bentrock? Loss of childhood innocence

contrasts Whites Wealth Power Honesty Life Control Loyalty Summer-heat Indians Poverty Oppression Deceit Death Submissive Betrayal Winter-chill

SIOUX INDIANS About 6,800 Assiniboine and Sioux live on the Fort Peck Reservation with another approximately 3,900 tribal members living off the reservation. LOCATION: The Fort Peck Reservation is in northeastern Montana, 40 miles west of the North Dakota border, and 50 miles south of the Canadian border, with the Missouri River defining its southern perimeter. It includes more than two million acres of land.

Indian Reservation Baptist

Indians TIME LINE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY INDIANS 1492Columbus ‘discovered’ America 1840’s on: white settlers on wagon trains took up farming on prairies 1850’s: 70,000 Indians died in California from diseases brought in from whites 1850: total Indian population did not exceed 250,000 Between white settlers killed 3,500,000 buffalo By nly 39 buffalo survived in the wild ‘Indian Wars’ of 1860’s and 1870’s 1864: Cheyenne massacre: almost 300 Indians killed by Colonel Chivington. The Indians were camped at Sand Creek Colorado waiting to discuss peace with the local whites 1876 Custer’s last stand: US cavalry attempted to defeat large numbers of Sioux and Cheyenne in the Big Horn area of North Dakota. Custer attempted to overwhelm an Indian party. He and 200 men were killed. 1877: the Sioux were forced to surrender 1890: The tribes were defeated. A white settler shot Chief Sitting Bull, one of the great Indian leaders. At Wounded Knee, South Dakota, a whole tribe of Sioux were exterminated. This was the end of the Indian killings Indians became American citizens in 1924 Over 50,000 Indians participated in WW2 1960’s: civil rights movement 1972: Indians occupied BIA headquarters in Washington DC 1973: Indians occupied Wounded Knee 1980:1.3 million Indians, and increasing