Native Americans felt so strongly at the Battle of Little Bighorn because Custer and his forces embodied the idea of white encroachment taking their land, killing their bison, and upending their way of life. Native Americans fought back to preserve their communities and livelihoods. Custer lost this battled due to the superior military tactics of Crazy Horse who staged an elaborate ambush after drawing the 7th Cavalry into a gulch. Additionally, unlike previous battles, this one involved an alliance of numerous tribes which bolstered their numbers.
