Teaching American History: Westward Expansion Mary Dennehy Spring 2006 Photo Courtesy of: http://www.lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?articleid=2589 1
Teaching American History: Westward Expansion Mary Dennehy Spring 2006 Class: United States History: Colonization to Civil War Grade Level: 10 Ability Level: Honors Massachusetts Frameworks Standards: USI.16 Describe the evolution of the role of the federal government, including public services, taxation, economic policy, foreign policy, and common defense. (H, C) USI.24 Describe the election of 1828, the importance of Jacksonian democracy, and Jackson s actions as President. (H) o the spoils system o Jackson s veto of the National Bank o Jackson s policy of Indian Removal Topic: The Role of the American Federal Government in Native American History Statement of Purpose: This lesson will cover the impact that federal policy had on the Native American populations. It addresses the many ways that the relationship between the federal government and the Native Americans impacted American history. Learning Objectives: Students will be able to: Identify the major policies and acts of the federal government concerning Native Americans Students will be able identify the major congressional acts from the 19 th century concerning Native Americans. Students will be able to analyze these individual acts and policies in the context of a long term relationship between the two groups. Students will be able to use this information in a creative writing assignment. Students will be able to explain the significance of American policy with Native Americans and connect it to the geography of resettlement. Students will be able identify the Native American Tribes before European contact, the routes of the Trail of Tears, and the location of Indian Reservations today. Students will be map information from one map to a blank outline map. Students will be able to analyze the class information and organize it on a timeline. Students will be able identify the major policies and acts of the federal government concerning Native Americans. Students will be able to analyze artwork and connect it to historical context. Students will be able to read and analyze primary source documents. Students will be able to interpret information from primary sources and discuss them in small groups and as a larger class unit. Students will be able to connect ideas from primary sources to current issues and events. Total Time: Three 50 minute classes, one 90 minute class 2
Class 1: 50 minutes Relationship between the Native Americans and the Federal Government Activity: Opening Journal Question (10 minutes): Students will spend the first 7-10 minutes responding to a question that will get her/him thinking about the big picture topic of native populations and conquest. What would happen if large groups of people from a foreign country came into your town and slowly changed the local politics, businesses, and town culture? How would you and your family feel if your town was quickly changed and there was very little that could be done to preserve the old ways? Notes and Lecture (35 minutes): Lecture and notes will be given regarding this topic (see attached). Many of these notes are review from previous sections. By arranging them in the context of the relationship between Native Americans and the federal government, students can see the long term effects of federal policy. Wrap-up (5 minutes): 2 minute drill: a fast paced review game I ask questions about information that we covered that day to review the material. Assign Homework: Students are to write a letter from a Native American to the American government concerning one of the policies from today s class. They are then to write a response from the federal government to that Native American. Objectives: Students will be able to explain the several policies of the American government that were discussed in today s class. Students will be able identify the major congressional acts from the 19 th century concerning Native Americans. Students will be able to analyze these individual acts and policies in the context of a long term relationship between the two groups. Students will be able to use this information in a creative writing assignment. Assessment: Students will produce two writing assignments. Students will produce class notes that will be part of their notebook grade. Students will engage in class discussion. 3
Native Americans and the Federal Government in the 19 th Century Review: Colonial American History There was conflict between Europeans and Native Americans from the time the first Europeans came to the Americas o Jamestown vs. the Powhatan Tribe o Massachusetts Bay Colony vs. the Pequot and Wampanoag Tribes o Pennsylvania and a good relationship with the Delaware Tribe As the colonies became more economically successful and populated, Native Americans were pushed further and further west The French and Indian War o France and Britain fought over control of North America and both sides enlisted the help of Native Americans. o When William Pitt and the British received help from the Iroquois, they were able to defeat the French o This prompted further conflict between the Ottawa Tribe and the British because when the French lost the war, they lost control of the Ohio River Valley where they had lived. The British weakened the tribe by giving them small-pox infected blankets. This weakened them to the point of being forced into a treaty: The Proclamation of 1763 Established a line that the colonists could not pass so the Native Americans could have all of the western lands. This Proclamation line was almost immediately broken After the Revolution: Early American Federal Policy on Native Americans Treaty of Paris: Ended the American Revolution o Britain ceded its claim to lands west of the Appalachians (indicating that they never followed the Proclamation of 1763) but did not remove many of their forts or people o Native Americans were excluded from the Treaty of Paris negotiations and most refused to follow its provisions The Little Turtle Tribe (Miami Confederacy) defeated the American military for lands on the Ohio River in 1790 and 1791 The Americans, led by Mad Anthony Wayne defeated the Native Americans in 1794 at the Battle of Fallen Timbers and established an American fort in the area. Jefferson Purchases the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 4
o Americans officially breaks the Proclamation line of 1763 (that had not been followed in the first place) by claiming American ownership of that land Indian Removal Act was put into place by the Jackson administration in 1830 o Federal funds would be used to negotiate treaties that would force Native Americans to move west o The federal negotiators would only recognize leaders who were open to negotiations even if they were not the leaders selected by the Native Americans o Several Native Tribes were forced to move from their lands in the east to lands in the west Trail of Tears o Groups of 1,000 Native Americans were sent from their ancestral lands to new lands in the west due to the negotiations in 1830 o The trip was long, hard, and dangerous. The Cherokee lost a quarter of their people on the way. Homestead Act (1862) o Congress passed this act to give western lands to Americans who wanted to settle in the west o To clear these lands, the government needed to relocate thousands of Native Americans into reservations Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad (1868) o The Railroad went right through Native American lands and resulted in even more Native Americans being relocated to reservations 1871 Congress declares it will no longer negotiate treaties with the Native Americans o This is extremely significant because it solidifies the control the federal government holds over the Native American populations today. Dawes Act (1887) o Congressed aimed to Americanize Native Americans by breaking up reservations and giving lots to individual Native Americans The idea of land ownership differed between Americans and Native Americans. Most Native American tribes believed that the tribe owned communal land (individuals did not own land). This difference in culture was a major reason for conflict between Americans (who value the individual s right to own land) and Native Americans. 5
Class 2: 90 Minutes Geography of Native American Movement and Reduction Opening Journal Questions (20 minutes): Why is it ironic that the American government has policies on the Native Americans? Who is making the decisions, Americans or Native Americans? Please list three examples to support your answer. Why is land quality important to a group of people? Core Activity (65 minutes): The students will use three blank outline maps of the United States to produce three maps (see attached). o The first will display the original Native American tribes before European Contact. o The second will be a map of the Trail of Tears. o The third will be a map of the Indian Reservations today. By doing these three maps, students will get a sense of the diminishing existence of Native Americans and will connect that to the policies of the federal government that were previously discussed in class. Wrap-Up (5 minutes): Assign Homework: Students are to complete their maps if they were not able to do so in the class period. Two minute drill. Objectives: Students will be able to explain the significance of American policy with Native Americans and connect it to the geography of resettlement. Students will be able identify the Native American Tribes before European contact, the routes of the Trail of Tears, and the location of Indian Reservations today. Students will be map information from one map to a blank outline map. Assessment: Students will produce a journal entry. Students will produce three maps. 6
Tribes of the Indian Nations Map: 1 1 http://www.nativeamericans.com/tribe_map_1.jpg 7
Trail of Tears Map: 2 2 http://homepage.univie.ac.at/kurt.mayer/graphics/trailtearsl.jpg 8
Native American Reservations Today: 3 3 http://www.csulb.edu/projects/ais/nae/chapter_5/001_002_5.50.jpg 9
Blank Outline Map: 4 4 http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/usa_blank.jpg 10
Class 3: 50 Minutes Timeline of Federal Policies and Artwork Opening Journal Question (10 minutes): Students will spend the first 7-10 minutes responding to a question that will get her/him thinking about the idea of government and its roll in the lives of the people: How does government positively impact you life? How does it negatively impact your life? Why is government needed? What would happen without it? How did government impact the Native Americans? Time-Line Activity (20 minutes) The students will create a time line of federal policies and Native Americans (see attached). Activity (15 minutes): View Pictures from the Trail of Tears (See Attached) o These Pictures will be shown in PowerPoint form o We will discuss each picture with the following discussion questions: What is this picture of? Who do you think might have painted it? What is the artist trying to portray? What does this have to do with the policy we have talked about? Wrap-up (5 minutes): Assign Homework: Students are to finish their timelines if they did not complete them in class. They are also to write a one paragraph response to one of the pictures viewed in class. 2 Minute Drill Objectives: Students will be able to analyze the class information and organize it on a timeline. Students will be able identify the major policies and acts of the federal government concerning Native Americans. Students will be able to analyze artwork and connect it to historical context. Assessment: Students will produce a timeline of federal policies. Students will produce a paragraph in response to historical artwork. 11
Time Line Activity Please create a timeline with the following events: Proclamation of 1763 Treaty of Paris Battle at Fallen Timbers Louisiana Purchase Indian Removal Act Trail of Tears Homestead Act Transcontinental Railroad Congress will no longer negotiate treaties with Native Americans Dawes Act 12
5 6 5 http://www.maxdstandley.com/giclees/i/tot.jpg 6 http://www.lasc.be/history/images/trail-of-tears.jpg 13
7 8 7 http://www.americaremembers.com/products/ctottri/ctottri_pic.jpg 8 http://www.historystateparks.com/images/photos/asp_history_img_trail_of_tears.jpg 14
9 10 9 http://www.wtv-zone.com/spiritsister/files/na2/a_trail_of_tears.gif 10 http://www.nativeamericans.com/tears.jpg 15
Class 4: 50 Minutes Primary Sources Opening Journal Question (10 minutes): Students will spend the first 15 minutes responding to questions of historiography. What is a primary source? What is a secondary source? In what different ways are both valuable? Primary Sources and Discussion Questions (30 minutes): Students will read three short primary source documents (see attached) o Indian Commissioner Thomas L. McKenney Explains Removal (1828) o Speckled Snake s (Cherokee) Reply to President Jackson (1830) o Cherokee Editor Elias Boudinot Opposes Removal (1828) Small Group Discussion Questions o Who is the author? What is his perspective? o Summarize the sources? What are the main arguments? o Of the three articles, which do you find most persuasive? o Name three events in American history during this time that may have impacted these authors. o These articles present a conflict. What conflicts in today s society compare to this? o In what ways does the Indian Removal Act impact American today? Week Wrap-Up (10 minutes): After the small groups are finished reading the articles and discussing the questions, we will address some of their ideas as a bigger group. We will also wrap-up and review the week s activities and themes. Objectives: Students will be able to read and analyze primary source documents. Students will be able to interpret information from primary sources and discuss them in small groups and as a larger class unit. Students will be able to connect ideas from primary sources to current issues and events. Assessment: Students will produce a journal entry Students will participate in a discussion of class material Students will answer questions after reading a primary source document 16
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References Primary Sources: o Indian Commissioner Thomas L. McKenney Explains Removal (1828) IN: Hurtado and Iverson; Major Problems in American Indian History (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001) pg. 203-204. o Speckled Snake s (Cherokee) Reply to President Jackson (1830) IN: Hurtado and Iverson; Major Problems in American Indian History (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001) pg. 204. o Cherokee Editor Elias Boudinot Opposes Removal (1828) IN: Hurtado and Iverson; Major Problems in American Indian History (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001) pg. 204-205. Secondary Sources: o Danzer, Klor de Alva, Krieger, Wilson, and Woloch. The Americans: Student Textbook. (IL, Evanston: McDougal Littell Inc. 2003). Internet Research o Blank United States Map http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/united_states/usa_blank.jpg o Native American Reservations Map http://www.csulb.edu/projects/ais/nae/chapter_5/001_002_5.50.jpg o State Park Image http://www.americaremembers.com/products/ctottri/ctottri_pi c.jpg o Tears Image http://www.nativeamericans.com/tears.jpg o Trail of Tears Image http://www.maxdstandley.com/giclees/i/tot.jpg o Trail of Tears Image 1 http://www.lasc.be/history/images/trail-oftears.jpg o Trail of Tears Image http://www.wtvzone.com/spiritsister/files/na2/a_trail_of_tears.gif o Trail of Tears Image http://www.historystateparks.com/images/photos/asp_history_img_trai l_of_tears.jpg o Trail of Tears Map http://homepage.univie.ac.at/kurt.mayer/graphics/trailtearsl.jpg o Tribes of the Indian Nation http://www.nativeamericans.com/tribe_map_1.jpg 20