Cherokee “Trail of Tears”
• 1. Hand out Art Analysis Worksheet from “History
Works” from the following web site.
http://www.historyworksohio.org/tutorials/detail.cf
m?id=1
• Go over worksheet if students have never used in
class before. You can leave out sections of the
worksheet if not relevant to your class.
• Objective: To have students realize different
perspectives in history regarding treatment of the
American Indian.
• Ask students to analyze the painting by Robert
Lindneux. The painting may be used at the
following website, which allows the user to
zoom into the painting for greater detail. If the
teacher is comfortable with students using
technology, a student may zoom in specific
parts. I have included a static painting in the
next slide.
http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/exh
ibition/zoomify.asp?id=1952&type=g&width=6
40&height=480&hideAlt=1
• After discussing the student analysis of the
painting. Hand out the following document by
John G. Burnett a Private involved with the
Cherokee Indian Removal.
• You may use the entire text, or underline specific
portions of the text.
• This document will provide contrasting
information to the painting, so the student should
still have access to the painting.
• The document may be found at the following web
site.
http://www.powersource.com/cherokee/burnett.ht
ml
• Upon reading the document, ask students to point out
various contradictions between the painting and the
document. Ask students if there is any possible bias in
both the painting and document.
• Ask which primary source provides a “truer” picture of
the removal.
• If additional time is available, you may also wish to
provide other documents such as: The Indian Removal
Act, General Winfield Scott’s Address to the Cherokee
Nation, and President Jackson’s Indian removal policy.
You can access the removal act and policy at
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Indian.html#
American
• Scott’s address is available here
http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/scottadd.htm
• Assessment: Student may write an essay if the
Federal Government’s removal policy was
necessary for the development of the nation, or
was it unfair to the American Indian tribes. To
help students, you present how the Cherokee tried
to assimilate into White society by creating an
alphabet, and a newspaper.
• Cherokee Phoenix newspaper. Old
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.j
sp?id=h-611 Present Day
http://www.cherokeephoenix.org/
• Sequoyah alphabet
http://www.atypical.net/CherTabl.html
• For a government class, you may also access the
Supreme Court ruling regarding the Cherokee and
President Jackson’s unwillingness to enforce the
ruling. The question being why Congress did not
impeach Jackson?
• http://www.tngenweb.org/cessions/18310100.htm
l For the ruling.