TheGhostDancewasanAmericanIndianChristianmovementthatbeganin1889,whenanIndiannamedWovokahadavisioninwhichGodassuredhimthattheoldwayswouldberestored,andwhitepeoplewoulddisappear.Healsolearnedasacreddance,whichtheIndiansshouldperformtohastenthenewage.
TheGhostDancemovementspreadrapidly,andcausedfearamongwhitesettlers.In1890,theAmericangovernmenthadSiouxchiefSittingBullmurdered.Afewdayslater,anotherSiouxchiefBigFootlearnedthathisownarresthadbeenordered.Whenheandabout350ofhisfollowerstriedtoslipaway,theywereinterceptedbythe7thCavalry.Morethan200ofthem,mostlywomenandchildren,wereslaughteredatWoundedKneeCreek.Onebabywasfoundshelteredinitsdeadmother'sarms,stillnursingatherbreast.
靈魂舞是美國印第安人的基督教運動，始於一八八九年。當時有個印第安人叫沃沃卡，見到幻象，幻象中上帝告訴他說，從前的生活方式會恢復，白種人則會消失。他還學到一種神聖舞蹈，印第安人依法起舞，可促使新時代降臨。
靈魂舞運動迅速傳播，令白種移民感到恐懼。一八九○年，美國政府遣人殺死蘇族坐着的公牛酋長。幾天之後，另一位蘇族酋長大足聽到當局下令拘捕他的消息，和約三百五十名追隨者想逃走，卻被第七騎兵隊截獲，超過二百人在傷膝溪被屠殺，死者多數是婦孺。事後，有人找到一個嬰兒藏身已死母親懷中，還在啜奶。