The Case:
A woman in Portland, Oregon has a curious spoon that once belonged to her grandmother. It's known in her family as "the spoon of atrocities.”
An eerie scene is etched into its sterling silver bowl: wagons, buildings and a crowd of spectators gathered before a gallows with figures hanging from them. A disturbing message is inscribed: "Hanging 38 Sioux In 1862 Mankato, Minn.”
What is this tragic scene, and why has it been etched into what looks like a collectible, commemorative spoon?
History Detectives explores the clash between white settlers and the Dakota Sioux in the mid nineteenth-century - and a struggle that led to the largest mass execution in American history.
Related Content
Feature:
Technique:
Technique:
Feature:
Related Links
Explore
-
Related Investigation
Seth Eastman Painting
Is this painting a true depiction of Native American life from one of the premiere painters of the American West?
-
Related Investigation
Witch's House
Could this house have once belonged to a woman executed during the Salem Witch trials?
-
Also in Expansion: 1801-1861
Creole Poems
Does this manuscript contain words of love or illegal acts of rebellion?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Mark Twain's Watch
Was this watch a gift from noted author American author Mark Twain?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
U.S.S Olympia Glass
Could this farmhouse door have sailed into battle in one of the country's greatest naval victories?
-
Also in Season 6
GAR Photograph
How did two African Americans come to be part of this photograph in Reconstructionist-era America?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.