TITLE: NEGOTIATING TREATIES
AUTHOR: Maureen Crosby, Juneau-Douglas High School,
Juneau, Alaska
GRADE LEVEL: U.S. HISTORY 11th GRADE
OVERVIEW: When studying the settlement phase of the
westward movement in the United States, students must
understand what motivated settlers to migrate west and
the impact this migration had upon indigenous people of
the U.S. The questions they must answer are: What
goals did the settlers have? What goals did Native
Americans have? When conflicts in goals occurred, how
was the conflict resolved?
PURPOSE: This lesson helps students recognize the
interaction between early settlers and indigenous
people in the U.S.
OBJECTIVE(s):
TO analyze changes in the U.S. economy precipitating
the westward movement
TO recognize the impact of the Indian Removal Act on
displaced Natives in the early West and the
impact on Native attitudes today
TO experience negotiating skills through a treaty
negotiation simulation
PRE-ACTIVITIES:
1. Geography: Give each student a blank map of the
U.S. Overhead project a map of the trails for them
to copy on their blank map. Have them label each
trail. Use this for a study guide for a quiz
later.
2. Recognizing Assumptions: Recognizing assumptions
helps you understand when people have acted
because of what they assumed, or believed without
proof. In the 1800's, many people assumed that
availability of land in the West meant the chance
for a better life. Thousands risked their lives
on this assumption--an assumption that was often
proven false by the harsh reality of frontier
living. Conduct a full class practice discussion
with teacher as the leader model. Appoint a
facilitator and a recorder. Discuss textbook and
supplemental readings about settlers migrating
west. These practice discussion skills will
prepare them for treaty negotiations later.
3. Indian Removal: Students will choose one of the
linguistic families of Native Americans and form
research groups of 3-4 students. They may
research together the tribes within each
linguistic family. Each student will produce
his/her own original research paper on a tribe or
tribes. These will be presented to the class.
Visual components are encouraged.
4. Using discussion skills, discuss the values that
lay behind the actions and statements of the
people involved in the Cherokee removal. What
values and goals motivated Jackson? What values
influenced the actions and responses of the
Cherokee?
5. Ask students to imagine they were forced to leave
their homes suddenly last night, taking nothing
with them. Have them write about what they will
miss most.
MATERIALS: Blank U.S. map, map of U.S. and trails
west, readings on westward migration, map of Indian
tribes and linguistic families, library for research on
Native American tribes, cookbooks of traditional Indian
and pioneer foods.
ACTIVITY:
Treaty Negotiation Simulation: Students are divided
into 2 groups: 1. Settlers and Indian Agent and
2. Native American tribe.
Indians must determine what their needs are in
selecting a reservation site. Settlers must determine
their settlement needs. Each must negotiate through
the Indian Agent to try to reach a treaty and establish
a reservation. Optional surprise element: Teacher
arranges for a community person or someone outside the
class to come in and role play a missionary bent on
eradicating traditional ways and converting the Indians
to white religion and customs. Optional: Prepare
traditional Indian and pioneer foods for a feast to
seal the treaty. This would only be appropriate if
both sides are somewhat satisfied with the treaty
outcome.
TYING IT TOGETHER: Conduct a debriefing and a written
exercise regarding the dynamics of negotiations,
personal feelings regarding the outcome of the treaty,
and how the historical events might influence Native
American attitudes today.
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