American Indians

Picture Analysis Questions What do you see? What first stands out to you in this painting? What appears to be happening? What evidence makes you think this? If you were to give this painting a title, what would you call it and why?

In Your Groups In what ways are all of these images (#1-#5) similar? In what ways they different? How might all of these images connect to one another? If they were all part of the same painting, what story might the painting be telling? What might you title a painting containing all of these images?

Assimilation During the early 1800s, America's policy under President Jefferson allowed Native Americans to remain east of the Mississippi as long as they became assimilated or "civilized." Jefferson’s original plan was to guide the Natives towards adopting a sedentary agricultural lifestyle. He thought that by assimilating Natives into an agricultural lifestyle, they would become economically dependent on trade with white Americans, and He hoped they would then be willing to give up their land (which they would otherwise not part with) in exchange for trade goods.

Indian Removal Act The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830. This act authorized the President to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi (Indiana Territory or modern Oklahoma) to Native Americans in exchange for the land they resided on within existing state borders. Forced Indians to be removed from land East of Mississippi.

Role Jobs: The Author Look for information about the author: Look for evidence in the document that would help you to understand what the author believes, values, or thinks. Look for evidence in the document that would help you to understand why the author wrote it (the author’s intent.)

The Audience Look for evidence of the audience the author wrote to: Look for evidence in the document that would help you to understand the author’s sense of audience at the time the document was written. Think of additional information that you would like to have in order to help you to understand the intended audience and the document’s relevance to them.

The Wordsmith Look for evidence about the structure of the document: Think about how the author makes his argument and whether the evidence the author uses supports the argument. Try to describe the tone (is it respectful, angry, somber…?). What does the tone say about the author, the author’s intentions, or the author’s bias?

The Summarizer Summarize what you think the group has learned about and from the document: Summarize what questions, ideas, or issues the document raises; reach agreement with the group. Summarize what you would like to know more about; reach agreement with the group.

Trail of Tears The 800 mile forced march of the Cherokee from Georgia to the Indian Territory in which ¼ of the 15,000 ( ~4,000) Cherokee died.