Final answer:
The Ghost Dance was a religious movement among Native Americans that symbolized hope for the restoration of their traditional way of life, and the Wounded Knee Massacre was a tragic outcome of the tensions it caused. The Ghost Dance was part of a larger spectrum of religious practices among Plains Indians that emphasized renewal and the sacred relationship with the earth and its creatures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The message of the Ghost Dance myth was deeply rooted in the hope and desire for a return to traditional ways of life and the restoration of Native American lands and way of life that existed prior to white settlement. The Ghost Dance, which was a part of the last major pan-Indian movement, was led by a Paiute man named Wovoka who claimed to have had a revelation. He urged Native Americans to forsake the ways of the white settlers and begin a dance that would lead to the disappearance of the whites, the return of the buffalo, and the reclamation of Indian lands. This movement gained significant following and became symbolic as a form of resistance against the pressures of assimilation and the loss of culture and land experienced by Native Americans.
The Wounded Knee Massacre was a direct consequence of the tensions arising from the Ghost Dance movement. In 1890, the U.S. Army, interpreting the dance as an act of rebellion, moved to suppress it, leading to the tragic event at Wounded Knee where hundreds of Lakota Sioux, including women and children, were killed. This event marked the end of the Indian Wars and is a stark reminder of the conflicts between Native Americans and the U.S. government.
The religious and cultural significance of practices such as the Ghost Dance was deeply connected to Plains Indians' views on renewal and the sacred earth, where bison played a central role. Sacred ceremonies like the Sun Dance and smoking of the calumet held immense importance in these communities, underscoring the spiritual and social fabric that the Ghost Dance sought to protect and revive.