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The rise and fall of the Lakota Empire - Pekka Hämäläinen

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In 1776, a powerful empire was born in North America. The Lakotas had reached the Black Hills, the most sacred place and most coveted buffalo hunting grounds in the western plains. Located in what is now South Dakota, control of the Black Hills, or Paha Sapa, marked the tribe as the dominant power in the American West. Pekka Hämäläinen explores the rise and fall of the Lakota Empire.


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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Pekka Hämäläinen
  • Director Mohammad Babakoohi, Yijia Cao
  • Narrator Safia Elhillo
  • Storyboard Artist Mohammad Babakoohi
  • Animator Mohammad Babakoohi, Elahe Baloochi
  • Compositor Poorya Goodarzi
  • Art Director Mohammad Babakoohi, Yijia Cao
  • Sound Designer Mohammad Babakoohi
  • Composer Aron Fard
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Production Coordinator Abdallah Ewis
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Watch this video to get a glimpse of a young person’s experience of growing up and living on a reservation. The documentary, Life Lakota, is about what life is like on the Cheyenne River Reservation. Likewise, Rising Voices/Hótȟaŋiŋpi is another documentary that shows how the Lakota language has been lost and is being revitalized. Listen to the Lakota National Anthem here. To learn more about the Sioux tribe and Black Hills in South Dakota, watch this video by Great Big Story. 

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Pekka Hämäläinen
  • Director Mohammad Babakoohi, Yijia Cao
  • Narrator Safia Elhillo
  • Storyboard Artist Mohammad Babakoohi
  • Animator Mohammad Babakoohi, Elahe Baloochi
  • Compositor Poorya Goodarzi
  • Art Director Mohammad Babakoohi, Yijia Cao
  • Sound Designer Mohammad Babakoohi
  • Composer Aron Fard
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Production Coordinator Abdallah Ewis
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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