Students learn about the relationship between the Republic of Texas and the American Indian tribes in Texas. They examine Chief Bowles’s role and compare Presidents Houston and Lamar’s policies towards the American Indians living in Texas. Next, they examine the San Antonio Council House Fight between the Comanche and the Texans. Finally, they analyze a speech by President Houston concerning the settlers’ interactions with the American Indians.
Students read an introduction explaining tensions between Texas settlers and American Indian tribes after the Texas Revolution and review the lesson objectives. They examine an image of a Native American in Texas and respond to a word cloud prompt by naming at least one Native American tribe that lived in Texas from pre-colonization through the Republic.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the overall purpose of the lesson, highlighting that students will study conflicts and policies affecting American Indians in the Republic of Texas. Use the teacher note to clarify which tribes spent significant time in Texas and identify the image as a Lipan Apache. Monitor student responses in the word cloud to surface prior knowledge about Texas tribes before moving on.
Students view images of Sam Houston in Cherokee clothing and Chief Bowles, then read background text about Houston’s early life with the Cherokee, his empathy toward American Indians, and his efforts as president to negotiate land treaties. They continue reading about Chief Bowles’s migration to Texas, his leadership of the Cherokee, and the contrast between Houston’s attempts at fair treatment and President Lamar’s policy of removing Native Americans from Texas. Students then read the section “The Republic of Texas” in The Republic of Texas and the Cherokee Indians to deepen their understanding of how each president dealt with the Cherokee. Using a three-column graphic organizer, they contrast Houston’s and Lamar’s relationships and policies toward the Cherokee, noting similarities and differences.
Teacher MovesGuide students through the background information on Houston, Chief Bowles, and Lamar, clarifying key events and motivations. Support students as they read the external text, ensuring they focus on evidence about each president’s approach to the Cherokee. Facilitate a discussion of the completed graphic organizers, emphasizing points such as Houston’s personal ties to the Cherokee, his efforts to repair relations and enforce trade laws, and Lamar’s distrust of American Indians and use of military force to remove them. Use the discussion to reinforce cause-and-effect relationships between presidential policies and conflicts with American Indians before transitioning to the next scene.
Students read an explanation of continued conflicts between Anglo settlers and American Indians, including Lamar’s orders to remove the Cherokee, the Battle of the Neches and the death of Chief Bowles, and the deteriorating relations with the Comanche that led to the 1840 peace talks in San Antonio. They then read San Antonio Council House Fight to learn what happened during the attempted peace talks. After reading, students post a written response on a class wall explaining whom they think was at fault for the Council House Fight and why, using evidence from the text to support their claim.
Teacher MovesClarify the sequence of events leading from Lamar’s policies to the Battle of the Neches and the Council House peace talks. Ensure students understand the expectations for citing evidence from the reading in their wall responses. Review student posts, selecting interesting or contrasting viewpoints to share with the class. Facilitate a discussion that compares different interpretations of fault in the Council House Fight and encourages students to justify their positions with specific textual evidence.
Students read an excerpt from President Sam Houston’s November 1838 speech to the Texas Congress about settlers entering Indian hunting grounds and becoming “victims to their own indiscretion and temerity.” Using a dictionary as needed, they clarify unfamiliar vocabulary and then paraphrase Houston’s message with a partner. Individually, they write a response on a class wall from the perspective of a Texas Congressman, explaining how they might react to Houston’s speech.
Teacher MovesSupport students in unpacking the language of Houston’s speech, guiding them to understand his perspective on settlers’ actions and responsibility for conflict. Encourage accurate paraphrasing and prompt students to connect Houston’s message to earlier content about land hunger and Indian-settler relations. Review student-written congressional responses, sharing selected examples to spark discussion about differing political viewpoints in the Republic of Texas and how leaders might have responded to Houston’s stance.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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