TED-Ed: The dark history of Mount Rushmore | Ned Blackhawk and Jeffrey D. Means

Mount Rushmore, carved between 1927 and 1941, is a monument in South Dakota's Black Hills. It attracts millions of visitors but has a controversial history. The Black Hills are sacred to the Lakota people, who were promised the land in an 1868 treaty. However, the US government broke the treaty after gold was discovered, leading to conflict and the illegal seizure of the land. Mount Rushmore was carved into a sacred Lakota site, led by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, who had ties to the KKK. The monument features US presidents with anti-Indigenous legacies. In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled the Black Hills were unlawfully taken, offering compensation, which the Sioux Nation refused. The future of Mount Rushmore is debated, with some calling for its removal and others advocating for co-management of the land.

What tools and methods were used to carve out Mount Rushmore?

• Chisels, jackhammers, and dynamite

• Water jets and sandblasting

• Lasers and explosives

• Hammers and chisels only

What was the significance of the 1868 Treaty at Fort Laramie?

• It allowed the US to mine gold in the Black Hills.

• It recognized the Black Hills as belonging to the Sioux Nation.

• It forced the Lakota to move to Canada.

• It ended the construction of Mount Rushmore.

Who led the project to carve Mount Rushmore, and what controversial ties did he have?

• Gutzon Borglum, who had ties to the KKK

• John Smith, who was a famous artist

• Thomas Jefferson, who was a US President

• George Washington, who was a military leader

What was the Supreme Court's ruling regarding the Black Hills in 1980?

• The Sioux Nation was entitled to compensation for the unlawful taking of the Black Hills.

• The US government should continue to manage the Black Hills.

• The Black Hills were lawfully taken by the US.

• The Black Hills should be returned immediately to the Sioux Nation.

What is one proposed solution for the management of the Black Hills?

• Complete removal of Mount Rushmore

• Co-management by the Lakota and the US

• Building more monuments in the area

• Selling the land to private developers