Evan Leuenberger 1
TE 407
The Native American Experience 1830-1887
Curriculum Resource Assignment
Introduction
Oftentimes for social studies teachers it can be difficult to provide alternative narratives
in American History. The typical history book comes from the perspective of the white male,
which in turn shapes narratives that suit their version of history. In turn, time periods are
named after the presidents who oversaw them. This perspective leaves out many, amongst
them those who came first, the Native Americans who inhabited North America before the
Europeans invaded. My goal with this lesson is not to devastate students with a perspective of
history that criminalizes the United States, which up to that point has embodied the virtues of
freedom and democracy. It is important though, I believe, to show a more “honest” version of
our history, with both its positive and negative accomplishments.
These six resources feature time periods that in a traditional textbook would fall into
two different chapters, typically one featuring President Andrew Jackson in the title, and with
another called something like Westward Expansion. Instead I intend to pull out a larger
narrative of white westward expansion occurring at the expense Native American communities.
The start date, 1830 was chosen because that is the year that the Indian Removal Act was
passed, and the end date, 1887, because that is the date the Dawes Act was passed. Along with
the main idea of the cost of westward expansion, I also hope to demonstrate to students that it
matters whose story is taught, and the importance of multiple perspectives. The six resources
that follow are intended to shed some light about these subjects.
Evan Leuenberger 2
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Document 1: Americans - McDougall Little, Chapter 3: Lesson 2 (pg. 120129)
http://www.mrlocke.com/US_History/book_files/3.2_pg120_129.pdf
This Americans chapter provides a good example of how a typical
middle school textbook would discuss the early end of my selected time
period. It begins by describing some contextual content about this time
period such as early industry in the United States as well as political issues
like the Missouri Compromise. When the chapter gets to Andrew Jackson, it introduces his life
as “the story of America in the early 19th century was one of expansion—expanding
economies, expanding territory, and expanding democracy. The man who embraced the spirit
of that expansion and to many personified it was Andrew Jackson.” That will provide a good
place to start with student’s opinions of Andrew Jackson throughout the six resources. To the
textbook’s credit, the very next subheading is about the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of
Tears. Overall the textbook will serve nicely as an introduction to the topic.
When eighth graders read the chapter it will appear more or less standard to them. The
McDougall Little textbook is set up in the way most middle school textbooks are, that they
would have been exposed to previously. Further the textbook touches on various subjects that
the students most likely have learned about previously.
Questions to Consider
1. According to the textbook, what did Jackson represent when he was elected in 1828?
2. What have you learned previously about Andrew Jackson? Who supported him, who
didn’t?
3. What have you learned previously about the Trail of Tears? Who was involved?
Evan Leuenberger 3
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Document 2: A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn;
Chapter 7: As Long as Grass Grows and Water Runs (pg. 125-133)
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinnasl7.html
The second document I have chosen is Howard Zinn’s A People’s
History of the United States, specifically the first half of chapter seven.
The chapter drives home some of Jackson’s motivations of Native
American removal that the textbook doesn’t address, as well as
describing some of the more horrific details of the trip that I believe are
important for students to know. Zinn points out some of the white
washing done to Jefferson in recent years, in both scholarly literature as well as in textbooks.
Zinn writes that “if you look through high school textbooks and elementary school textbooks in
American history you will find Jackson the frontiersman, soldier, democrat, man of the
people—not Jackson the slaveholder, land speculator, executioner of dissident soldiers,
exterminator of Indians” (Zinn 130). As a history teacher I believe it is my duty to provide both
perspectives to my students.
An eighth grader may well be shocked by some of the topics discussed in the Zinn
reading, especially having read the textbook’s depiction of him. Hopefully they will appreciate
the opportunity to gain a new perspective on such a divisive figure in American history.
Questions to Consider
1. Where does the textbook and Zinn agree? Disagree?
2. How might Jackson’s past have influenced his role as president?
3. Do you believe, as Zinn argues, that Indian removal was carried about for economic
reasons?
Evan Leuenberger 4
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Document 3: Two Perspectives on the Battle of Little Bighorn
https://randomplayall.wordpress.com/2013/10/29/the-little-bighorn-who-writes-the-history-answereverybody/
The third document I have chosen are two
pictures of the Battle of Little Big Horn depicting two
drastically different scenes. These two images speak to
one of the major big ideas of the lesson, how perspective
matters and how the same event can be told in drastically different ways. For example “Custer’s
Last Stand” by Edgar Samuel Paxson depicts General Custer as a heroic American besieged on
all sides by a ferocious enemy. In the painting he is bravely holding up the yellow flag in the
center of battle. Compare this to the Sioux image of the same battle, where the Native
Americans are at the center of the image and with tepees in the corner. The inclusion of their
housing conveys a battle in the defense of their homes.
The eighth graders will need some time unpacking what the different pictures convey,
but with the help of the guiding questions I am confident
that they can uncover the deeper meaning both images
convey.
Questions to Consider
1. What story does “Custer’s Last Stand” by Edgar Samuel Paxson tell? What parts of the image
convey that meaning?
2. What does Kicking Bears’ “Battle of Greasy Grass” convey?
3. Do the two images tell the same story? How or how not?
4. How does positioning change the overall effect of the image?
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Document 4: Chief Joseph Speech
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/six/jospeak.htm
The fourth document I have selected is a series of speeches
and letters made by the Nez Percé Chief, Chief Joseph. These
statements are a valuable first-hand account of a Native American
leader who was personally victimized by the actions of the United
States government. Chief Joseph’s words are deeply personal and honest, and speak to the
deep felt sense of betrayal that many Native Americans experienced as a result of forced
relocation and the diminishing of their equal rights. My hope with this piece is to put a face and
a voice to the Native Americans who are in many ways silenced during this time period.
I believe that this resource will be appreciated by the students. For starters the meaning
is clear, and the emotion of Chief Joseph’s words is clearly evident. The students should be able
to make connections to the reference to Lewis and Clark as well as the general process of
Indian Removal that are referenced throughout. The syntax used throughout his speeches and
statements are relatively easy to follow, and the brackets included on the website give
contextual clues to the students about who Chief Joseph is referring to.
Questions to Consider
1. What tone does Chief Joseph use to describe his experiences with the United States
government?
2. Does Chief Joseph use any rhetoric you might find in the Constitution? What effect does
that have logically and emotionally?
3. How would you summarize part IV, Chief Joseph’s trip to Washington? Do you find his
argument convincing?
4. Based on the previous resources studied, does his statements surprise you? Why or why
not?
Evan Leuenberger 6
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Document 5: The Invasion of America Interactive Map
http://invasionofamerica.ehistory.org/
The fifth resource is an interactive map made by the
University of Georgia that shows on a more macro level the
extent at which the United States pushed various Native
American communities off their land. The website allows students to change the various years
and when different regions are clicked on more information becomes available, like the tribes
that occupied the land and which treaty guaranteed that land before it was taken away.
Additionally the key is useful, blue indicating Indian homelands and red for reservations. The
ability to “switch basemap” in the upper right hand corner also provides different perspective,
especially in demonstrating the geographic regions Native Americans were pushed into.
For students the map might be overwhelming if not given proper instruction and
guidance. The map has a number of interesting features for the students to explore once they
know what they do. Using the map can be done individually or as a whole class activity. Because
of the map, students will have an opportunity to see the cost of American expansion on a larger
scale, to better compliment the individual level seen in the document previous.
Questions to Consider
1. Select “See Video” in the upper right hand corner. What do you notice about the change
in Native American land between 1783 and 2010?
2. In what general direction does the Native American land get limited to? Why?
3. Go to “Switch Basemaps” in the upper right corner and click “Terrain with Labels.” What
do you notice about the land Native American tribes resided in in 1830? What about
1880? Why is this and what effect might that have on the way of life for Native
Americans?
Evan Leuenberger 7
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Document 6: Westward Expansion: Crash Course US History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q16OZkgSXfM&index=25&list=PL
8dPuuaLjXtMwmepBjTSG593eG7ObzO7s
The sixth and final resource is a CrashCourse Youtube
video on westward expansion. This video works as a good
preview or review for the lesson as it incorporates the Battle of
Little Bighorn, an extended quote from Chief Joseph, and an
economic perspective that would make Howard Zinn proud. The video does a good of
intergrating the Native American experience into that of white settlers and helps to explain the
root causes of some of their interactions.
Student, especially eighth graders will love the Crash Course video. The series does a good job
of making the history interesting through a combination of imagery, humor, and a fast passed
narrator who seems to known what he’s talking about. For example in this video there is a
“Mystery Document” segment that consist of John Green reading the document and as he is
doing so key words are highlighted and corresponding images pop up to the side of the
document. Add to that John Green getting shocked if he guesses the wrong historical figure
who wrote the mystery document and you’ve got yourself an entertaining resource that middle
school students are sure to love.
Questions to Consider?
1.
2.
3.
4.
According to the video what did “the West” represent for white Americans?
What causes for westward expansion does John Green list?
What impact did the Dawes Act have on Native Americans?
What are Indian Boarding Schools? What happened there?
Evan Leuenberger 8
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Conclusion
The six documents I have chosen are all related to the Native American experience
between 1830 and 1887. The resources are in a number of different mediums, from books and
paintings to videos and interactive maps. My goal is for all these resources to come together to
tell an important and complicated story about American history, one that is often overlooked in
classes that blindly promote American exceptionalism.
The first main idea that I would hope my students would learn about from these
resources is that America’s expansion from the east coast came at a cost to those living on the
land before us. It is important to keep in mind that the country wasn’t uninhabited before Louis
and Clark made their expedition west. In fact it was Native Americans who made it possible for
them to do so. The second main idea that I wanted my students to explore is the idea that
history is a series of competing narratives. There is no one true version of history, and I believe
that my lesson emphasizes that. My goal in providing this information is not to indoctrinate
middle school students into hating America and their heritage. Instead I aim to illuminate the
availability of multiple perspectives, especially in history. Because I’m a big believer in that
what’s not included in history books is as important as what makes it in.