The Largest Mass Execution, The Dakota 38

As the world slowly burns and some of us are just continuing to exist, I decided to go back to podcasting vs doom scrolling social media again. I hope you learn things from these upcoming podcasts I have lined up for you, as well as escape whatever may be happening in your life. 
Yours in historical facts and memes,
Courtney

The Dakota 38 subject is a dark historical part of US history. The execution of 38 East Dakota tribesman on December 26, 1862 is the largest mass execution in this country's history, and was signed off by Lincoln. How did this happen? Like many things, the breaking of a promise, or a treaty. In these treaties, the Eastern Dakota were pressured into ceding large tracts of land to the United States in a series of treaties signed in 1837, 1851 and 1858, in exchange for cash annuities, debt payments, and other provisions. These treaties were overseen by the federal government through Indian Agents that weren't for helping the indigenous people. While the Eastern Dakotans signed over their land, the US government was to pay debts, yearly payments, and supplies. The winter from 1861-862 was harsher than normal, and the crops from 1861 were not as plentiful on this new land for them. When the civil war broke out in 1861, the US government than became late on payments and supply of food, causing those at the reservation to come to drastic decisions. As Trisha and I go through in this episode, the tribesman were pushed to their limits through various means and did fight back by attacking settlers that had moved into their ancestry lands. From August to September, Little Crow led the charges to take land and supplies from settlers and military members, using bloodshed when needed. 
100 US and local military died, 358 civilians/settlers, 150 Dakotans, and 38 executed. 
Eventually, Little Crow and many of the Eastern Dakotan tribesman were captured. Many more innocent Dakotans were imprisoned than those that took part in the raids or fighting. After their capture and relocation, Little Crow and about 150-200 members were able to escape up to the Dakota Territory and Canada. 
On September 27, 1862, Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley ordered the creation of a military commission to conduct trials of the Dakota. One year later, the judge advocate general would determine that Sibley did not have the authority to convene trials of the Dakota, due to his level of prejudice, and that his actions had violated Article 65 of the United States Articles of War. However, by then the executions had already occurred, and the American Civil War continued to distract the U.S. government. Yay civil war! The 400-odd of trials commenced on 28 September 1862 and were completed on 3 November; some lasted less than 5 minutes. No one explained the proceedings to the defendants, nor were the Sioux represented by defense attorneys. It was a sham that was allowed to happen because of the Civil War...which also started the whole ordeal. 
Because of the nature, and it being federal crimes the East Dakotans were charged with, Lincoln did have to review and approve the charges for being hanged. Lincoln did lessen the amounts of those executed, and limited to only those that were to have murdered settlers/civilians. 

If you're looking for more information on this topic, or to read my sources:
https://youtu.be/ZLjzUNXMbhM --Dakota 38 + 2 movie
https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/traumatic-true-history-full-list-dakota-38
https://www.usdakotawar.org/history/aftermath/trials-hanging