Students learn about the impact of the western expansion of white settlers onto American Indian land. They examine U.S. policies toward American Indians, including the Dawes Act and the Carlisle Indian School. Finally, students develop their own policy towards the American Indians in the historical context of western expansion.
Students read background text introducing the post–Civil War shift in U.S. policy from removal to assimilation of American Indians. They examine a photograph of Sitting Bull and read his quoted statement about cultural difference and respect, then post to a discussion wall explaining the main idea of the quote. Students also read about westward expansion, reservations, and the transition from removal to assimilation, and write a definition of the term assimilation in a shared table.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives. Guide students in interpreting Sitting Bull’s quote, emphasizing that he is supporting cultural diversity and mutual respect. Discuss the definition of assimilation as the process by which a minority group adopts the values and customs of the surrounding culture, and, if appropriate, invite students with recent immigrant backgrounds to share personal or family perspectives on assimilation.
Students read explanatory text about the Dawes Act and how it divided tribal lands into individual allotments while opening remaining land to white settlers. They view a government advertisement image and read The Dawes Act and Dawes Act Facts to deepen their understanding of the law’s goals and effects. Students then respond on discussion walls to explain why the government viewed private property and farming as superior to communal landholding and to describe what happened to unallotted land and what that reveals about the government’s motives.
Teacher MovesFacilitate discussion of student responses, highlighting that policymakers believed the white, agrarian way of life was superior and that “civilizing” American Indians meant turning them into private landowning farmers. Clarify that surplus reservation land was transferred to white settlers, and prompt students to infer that a key motive was to confine American Indians to smaller areas while expanding land available to settlers.
Students read text explaining how the Dawes Act led to the creation of boarding schools such as the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and how these schools aimed to assimilate American Indian children. They examine an image of the Carlisle School and read The Carlisle Boarding School to understand its philosophy and practices, then post to a discussion wall explaining the school’s underlying philosophy. Next, students view images from Photos: Before and After Carlisle and contribute words to a word cloud describing how the photographed American Indian students may have felt.
Teacher MovesUse student posts to discuss how the Carlisle School sought to replace American Indian cultures and languages with white American values while preparing students for low-level jobs. Share exemplary responses to deepen understanding of forced assimilation. After students view the before-and-after photos, invite volunteers to describe their emotional reactions and connect those reactions to the broader impact of boarding schools on Native communities.
Drawing on what they have learned about the Dawes Act and the Carlisle Indian School, students consider how U.S. Indian policy addressed the needs and rights of both white settlers and American Indians. They draft an outline for an alternative government policy that addresses growing demand for western farmland, long-standing American Indian ties to their land, the sacred nature of American Indian culture, and differing views of land ownership. Students post their proposed policies to a discussion wall, then review classmates’ drafts and respond to at least two with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesReview student policy proposals to ensure they recognize the conflicting claims to land and the importance of respecting American Indian culture. Emphasize that students are not expected to create a fully comprehensive policy, but should thoughtfully address the major tensions between settler expansion and American Indian rights.
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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