What was the Ghost Dance movement? * A way for Native Americans to try and bring back their traditional customs and the buffalo. A way for cowboys to drive huge herds of cows across Texas. A way for white settlers to buy Indian land. A way for the government to erase Native American culture.

The correct answer is: **A way for Native Americans to try and bring back their traditional customs and the buffalo.** ### Explanation: The **Ghost Dance** was a spiritual movement that emerged among Native American tribes in the late 19th century, particularly among the Plains Indians. Initiated by the Northern Paiute prophet Wovoka in 1889, the movement aimed to restore the traditional way of life that had been disrupted by European-American expansion, including the loss of the buffalo, which was central to many Plains tribes' livelihoods. Participants of the Ghost Dance believed that by performing specific dances and rituals, they could bring about a renewal of the earth, the return of deceased ancestors, the disappearance of white settlers, and the restoration of their lands and buffalo herds. The movement sought to provide hope and a sense of unity among Native American communities facing immense challenges and cultural suppression. Unfortunately, the Ghost Dance was misunderstood by many outside the Native American communities, leading to heightened tensions and tragic events such as the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. ### Why the Other Options Are Incorrect: - **A way for cowboys to drive huge herds of cows across Texas.** *This option describes cattle drives, which were common in the late 19th century but are unrelated to the Ghost Dance movement.* - **A way for white settlers to buy Indian land.** *The Ghost Dance was a response against the encroachment of white settlers and the loss of Native lands, not a means for settlers to acquire land.* - **A way for the government to erase Native American culture.** *While government policies often aimed to suppress Native American cultures, the Ghost Dance was actually an effort by Native Americans to preserve and revive their own cultural practices.*