June 25: The Battle of Little Bighorn, Hurricane Audrey and Michael Jackson's Death

On this day in history in the U.S., a number of unforgettable events took place that many people will never forget.

The Battle of Little Bighorn

On this day in 1876, Native American forces led by Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeated the U.S. Army troops of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in a bloody battle near southern Montana’s Little Bighorn River.

Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull were leaders of the Sioux tribe on the Great Plains. They resisted the efforts of the U.S. government to confine their people to reservations.

So in 1875, after it was discovered that the Black Hills of South Dakota had gold in them, the U.S. Army ignored the treaty agreement and started to invade the region.

Because of this treachery, the Sioux and Cheyenne tribesmen left and joined Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in Montana. By the end of 1876, over 10,000 Native Americans had gathered in a camp along the Little Bighorn River, called Greasy Grass.

They were warned by the U.S. War Department to return to their reservations or they risk being attacked.

The three columns of U.S. soldiers lined up and prepared to march on the camp, and the 1,200 Native Americans turned them back. Thus, General Alfred Terry ordered Custer’s 7^th Cavalry to scout ahead fro the enemy.

On the morning of June 25, Custer’s men drew near the Native American camp, and he decided to press on rather than wait for reinforcements.

Custer’s 600 men entered the Little Bighorn Valley and word quickly spread through the tribe of the attack.

While Sitting Bull found protection for women and children, Crazy Horse rallied the men and met the attackers head on.

Custer desperately tried to regroup his men, but it was to late.

“Custer and some 200 men in his battalion were attacked by as many as 3,000 Native Americans; within the hour, Custer and every last one of his men were dead,” said History.com.

The Battle of Little Bighorn, or Custer’s Last Stand, was the most decisive Native American victory and the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War.

White Americans were outraged by the fate of Custer and his men. This battle confirmed the image that the Native Americans were wild and bloodthirsty. Within five years, the Sioux and Cheyenne were confined to reservations.

Hurricane Audrey Hits Gulf Coast

On this day in 1957, a hurricane watch was declared for the Texas and Louisiana coastlines as a tropical depression. The storm quickly became Hurricane Audrey, which killed over 390 people.

After the watch was declared, the residents of Louisiana, near the Gulf of Mexico, were told to seek higher ground. However, on the morning of June 27, it was too late; the hurricane hit full force and devastated some of the coast towns of Louisiana.

The towns of Cameron, Creole, and Grand Chenier were swept away by the Hurricane. Many people were swept away in the floods, and many bodies were not found for months after. It is possible the hurricane could have caused over 500 deaths.

Over 40,000 people were left homeless, and many people were housed at McNeese State University near Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Many people had rough times trying to rebuild because their insurance offered financial protection from wind damage, not water damage.

Michael Jackson Dies at Age 50

On this day in 2009, Michael Jackson, one of the most commercially successful entertainers in history, died at the age of 50 at his home in Los Angeles, California. He suffered from cardiac arrest caused by a fatal combination of drugs given to him by his at-home doctor.

Jackson was found unconscious in his Los Angeles mansion and the coroner’s officer later ruled the pop star’s death a homicide after lethal levels of the powerful sedative Propofol.

“On July 7, 2009, more than 20,000 fans attended a public memorial for Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles,” said history.com. “Over 30 million viewers tuned in to watch the event on cable TV, while millions more viewed it online.”

At the age of five, Michael Jackson began performing with his older brothers in a music group coached by his steelworker father.

He released his first solo “Got to Be There” in 1972, and six years later, he made his first big-screen debut as the Scarecrow in The Wiz. In 1979, his album “Off the Wall” sold over 7 million copies worldwide. Then, in 1982, “Thriller” came out. 50 million copies were sold around the globe. That made it the best selling studio album of all time.

Though he had a rough ending, with the cases against him saying he molested two different boys, the cosmetic surgeries he became obsessed with, and the alleged trembling fear to open his own door, Jackson was still adored by his fans.

Jackson created music that defined a generation and his music still lives on.