What was a common challenge faced by the Sioux during their conflicts?

The common challenge faced by the Sioux during their conflicts was their insufficient resources for sustenance. The Sioux, like many Native American tribes, relied on bison herds for food, clothing, and shelter. As westward expansion and settler encroachment increased, these resources became increasingly scarce. The disruption of their traditional hunting grounds, largely due to the overhunting of bison by settlers and the changing landscape due to agricultural development, left the Sioux struggling to sustain their communities. This scarcity affected their ability to wage effective conflicts, as a lack of food and other essential supplies weakened their fighting capacity and societal structure.

In contrast, while assembling a large army could be challenging, particularly due to the varied lifestyle and lack of centralized authority among the tribes, it was not as consistently detrimental as the issue of resource availability. Similarly, while leadership varied among different bands of the Sioux, many had strong leaders, particularly during critical conflicts like the Battle of Little Bighorn. Isolation from other tribes sometimes occurred, but the Sioux often allied with other tribes when necessary, which lessened the impact of isolation in many cases. Therefore, the struggle for adequate sustenance was a pervasive and immediate concern that directly impacted their ability to engage effectively in conflicts.