Read Mrs. Z. A. Parker’s observations from 1890.[T]hey raised their eyes to heaven, their hands clasped high above their heads, and stood straight and perfectly still, invoking the power of the Great Spirit to allow them to see and talk with their people who had died. . . .They would go as fast as they could, their hands moving from side to side.What is Parker describing in this quotation?
Answer
A
the ritualized movements of Sioux Indians during a Ghost Dance ceremony
B
the horrified response of Cheyenne Indians after the Sand Creek Massacre
C
the celebratory reaction to the signing of the Treaty of Fort Laramie
D
the anger and fear of white settlers that began after the Battle of Little Bighorn
Explanation
Parker describes people raising their hands, standing still, and invoking the Great Spirit to communicate with their dead. She then describes them moving rapidly with their hands sweeping from side to side. These are ritual actions associated with the Ghost Dance, so the answer is the ritualized movements of Sioux Indians during a Ghost Dance ceremony.
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