Geronimo, born Goyathlay, was a prominent leader of the Chiricahua Apache tribe and is considered one of the most well-known Native American figures in American history. He was born around 1829 in what is now New Mexico, and his life was marked by a fierce resistance against the encroachment of white settlers and the United States military into Apache lands.

Geronimo's early life was shaped by the tragic loss of his family and village, which fueled his lifelong commitment to defending his people's land and way of life. He became a skilled warrior and strategist, leading his people in a series of raids and battles against the encroaching settlers and the U.S. Army. His reputation as a fierce and cunning fighter grew, and he became a symbol of Apache resistance.

Between the 1870s and 1880s, Geronimo and his followers engaged in a series of conflicts known as the Apache Wars. These were a series of violent confrontations as the Apache people fought to defend their lands from the expanding American frontier. Geronimo's tactics were often hit-and-run, using the knowledge of the local terrain to their advantage and avoiding direct confrontations with the superior forces of the U.S. Army.

In 1886, after more than a decade of conflict, Geronimo surrendered to General Nelson A. Miles, who promised him and his people fair treatment. However, this promise was not kept, and Geronimo and his tribe were forcibly relocated to Florida and later to Alabama and finally to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. This relocation was part of the U.S. government's policy of Indian removal, which aimed to clear the western territories for white settlement.

Despite the harsh conditions and the loss of their ancestral lands, Geronimo adapted to his new circumstances. He became a farmer and, somewhat ironically, a national celebrity. He was invited to attend the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair and the 1905 Oklahoma State Fair, where he was exhibited as a curiosity and a symbol of the "tamed" West. Geronimo also participated in the 1912 presidential inaugural parade for President Theodore Roosevelt.

Geronimo's legacy is complex and multifaceted. He is remembered as a fierce warrior and a symbol of Native American resistance, but also as a man who, in his later years, became a symbol of the assimilation and subjugation of indigenous peoples by the United States. His life serves as a poignant reminder of the struggles faced by Native Americans during the westward expansion of the United States and the ongoing fight for recognition and respect for their rights and heritage.

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Geronimo (1829-C1908) Chief of the Chiricahua Apaches. He led his tribe against white settlers in Arizona for more than ten years. In 1886, he surrendered his tribe to General Miles, and they were taken to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He became a farmer and national celebrity.read more >>