Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

As we discuss Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (HBO, 2007), read the following selected documents:

Writing Assignment:

OPTION 1 (Creative Response)

Write a 500-750 word (2 pages double spaced) essay written from the first person point of view of one of the historical personas listed below. Your essay will be written as either a letter to Congress, the President of the United States, or as a diary entry for the person you are writing as. This letter or diary entry should include the following:

  • Introduce who you are

  • Describe in detail what your experiences have been like as a Native American facing the government policies toward your people

  • You should propose a possible solution as to how the government should change its policies, or describe what you intend to do in response

  • You must include at least ONE QOUTE in italics from the assigned reading (write it as if your person is saying it, or directly quote the person you’ve chosen)

  • Your essay must be written in standard English — please do not get creative in writing with a dialect

  • Possible topics include: the problems of removal from native lands and forced onto the reservation system; the Indian Boarding Schools; the slaughter of the buffalo; the Battle of the Little Big Horn; the exodus of the Nez Perce; the massacre of Wounded Knee

Historical Personas:

  • Chief Sitting Bull

  • Chief Joseph

  • Crazy Horse

  • Chief Red Cloud

  • Charles Eastman

  • Elaine Goodall

  • A child in the Indian Boarding Schools

Option B: Historical Journalism – AI-Assisted Interview

You will write a news-style article in which you “interview” a historical figure connected to Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

You may use AI to simulate the interview, but you are responsible for:

  • Asking thoughtful questions

  • Verifying historical accuracy

  • Framing the article as a responsible journalist

Your article should read like something that could plausibly appear in a newspaper or magazine — informative, compelling, and grounded in evidence.

You must include at least TWO QOUTES from the assigned reading, and you can research additional sources as well. Your sources must be cited in MLA format. For instance, “Sitting Bull was at first resistant to meeting” (Dee 418).

Historical Personas:

  • Chief Sitting Bull

  • Chief Joseph

  • Crazy Horse

  • Chief Red Cloud

  • Charles Eastman

  • Elaine Goodall

  • A child in the Indian Boarding Schools

How to Use AI

AI is allowed only as a support tool. Think of it as:

  • A brainstorming partner

  • A historical role-play simulator

  • A writing coach

You MAY use AI to:

  • Ask clarifying questions about historical context

  • Role-play as your chosen historical figure for interview responses

  • Generate follow-up questions

  • Help revise tone, clarity, or structure

You may NOT:

  • Submit AI-generated writing as your final product

  • Copy responses directly without revision

  • Avoid reading or engaging with the film

AI Prompt Starters (Use These or Improve Them)

You are encouraged to paste one or more of the following into an AI tool and then adapt what you receive.

For Creative Writing

  • “Act as a historian helping me understand what a [role] might have feared or hoped for during the events leading up to Wounded Knee.”

  • “Help me brainstorm internal conflicts a [role] might experience during this moment in U.S. history.”

  • “What sensory details (sounds, setting, emotions) would realistically surround this event?”

For Interview / Journalism

  • “Role-play as [historical figure] and answer questions as accurately as possible based on historical records.”

  • “What questions would a skeptical journalist ask this person about U.S. Indian policy?”

  • “What quotes could realistically reflect this person’s worldview?”

⚠️ Important: You must rewrite, select, and shape everything in your own voice.