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(1828-1909)
A Native American warrior, Geronimo fought for his freedom and defended his homeland. Born around 1828,
Geronimo grew up in what is now Mexico and the southwestern United States. He was member of the Chiricahua
Apache.
For many years, the Apaches had fought against strangers who tried to live on their lands. They found
themselves in conflict with Spanish, Mexican, and American troops. When Geronimo was about 30 years old,
Mexican troops killed his wife, children, and his mother in an attack. The loss of his family made Geronimo
very angry. To get revenge, he led raids against the Mexicans.
In 1874, Geronimo and his people faced an even greater challenge—the U.S. government. About 4,000
Apaches were forced to move from their land to a reservation in east-central Arizona. Without rights or
enough food, the Apache suffered on the reservation. Geronimo refused to stay there. Geronimo and some
of the Apaches escaped. They fought U.S. troops and were forced back to the reservation several times.
One time in 1881, he and his followers left the reservation and hid in the mountains in Mexico. From his
camps there, he led attacks in the United States and Mexico. In 1886, U.S. government had around 5,000
soldiers searching for Geronimo and his people. After five months on the run, Geronimo surrendered, or
gave himself up, to U.S. Army for the last time. After his surrender, he was held at forts in Florida
and Oklahoma. Geronimo later settled near Fort Sill in Oklahoma and died there on February 17, 1909.
© 2006 A&E Television Networks. All rights reserved.
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Related Websites
Find out more about Native American cultures
http://www.nmai.si.edu/
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