PROJECT TITLE:
Westward Expansion:
The Nez Perce: From Peace Ribbon to Fugitive
AUTHOR:
SUBJECT & GRADE LEVEL
Stephanie Hammer
U.S. History II
Grade 6/7
CLASSROOM PRACTICE
1. HIOverview&TeachingThesis:
Using the story of westward expansion’s impact from the perspective of the Nez Perce, this
historical investigation reveals the humanity of the individuals involved in Indian removal. Who
were the Nez Perce? HowdidwestwardexpansionimpacttheNezPercefromfirstcontact
withLewisandClarktotheirforcedabandonmentfromtheirhomelands?How does their
story highlightandpersonalizetheimpactwestwardexpansionhadonAmericanIndians?
CantheactionsoftheNezPerce(U.S.government)bejustified?WhatdoestheNezPerce
storytellusaboutlargerU.S.‐Indianrelations?Placingtheirstoryinthelargercontextof
westwardexpansion,studentswillgaingreaterinsightintothestoryoftheAmericanWest.
2. Suggested Grade Level and Length of Activities:
U.S. History II: 1865 to the Present (Grades 6 and 7)
Lesson 1 - 45 minute block
Lesson 2 - 45 minute block
Lesson 3 - 45 minute block
3. Significance & Relevance:
In U.S. History II westward expansion is studied at the beginning of the school year. Studying the
impact of westward expansion with the use of primary source documents will introduce students
to the use of these sources while teaching the content of the curriculum. Using select primary
sources from key events the students will gain greater insight into the impact westward expansion
had on the Nez Perce.
Virginia Standards of Learning
U.S. II.1
U.S. II .4
The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible
citizenship, including the ability to
a) analyze and interpret primary and secondary source documents.
The student will demonstrate knowledge of how life changed after the Civil War by
a) identifying the reasons for westward expansion, including is impact on American Indians.
OAH Historical Inquiry Skills
Historical Comprehension
 Draw upon visual sources to clarify information.
Analysis and Interpretation
 Read/view primary sources and analyze the source for its use in learning history.
 Consider multiple perspectives of various peoples of the past.
 Analyze cause and effect relationships.
4. Technology


Use Guiding Power Points to help with student directions.
Display images of the primary source documents on a screen so that students can view a clear
image.
5. Modifications, Differentiation, and Extensions –
Modifications: (Listed in individual lessons.)
Extension: Facilitate a discussion/debate in response to the following questions:







Can the actions of the Nez Perce be justified? Can the actions of the United States be
justified?
Direct students to find other documents that demonstrate impact on American Indians.
Study the Historical Poster Map to follow the route taken by the Nez Perce during the War of
1877. Students can find primary sources that tell the story of the event.
What other American Indian groups faced displacement?
Do you agree or disagree with government Indian removal policy?
Is there still displacement occurring anywhere in the world today?
What does the story of the Nez Perce tell us about the bigger picture of westward expansion?
6. Lesson Overview
Guiding Questions
Objectives
Assessment
Activities to support objectives and
assessment
Description…
As an introduction to the Nez Perce,
the students will read a journal entry
from the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
By reading two historical essays, the
students will learn about the
traditional Nez Perce lifestyle during
early contact with Americans.
Title: The Nez Perce: Who were SWBAT
they?
The student will be able to
Question A: Who were the Nez
describe the life of the Nez Perce
Perce before contact with
before their encounter with the
Americans?
Lewis and Clark expedition.
Question B: Who were the early
settlers that co-existed with Nez The student will be able to identify
Perce and what were their
early settlers and their reasons for
reasons for moving into their
moving into their homelands.
homelands?
Assessment
Title: Onslaught
SWBAT
Question: How did continued
movement into the Nez Perce
homelands after the Walla Walla
Treaty impact the lives of the
Nez Perce?
The student will be able to explain
how continued movement into the
Nez Perce homelands after the
Walla Walla Treaty impacted the
lives of the Nez Perce.
AssessmentIn a “Walk a Mile in My Shoes”
activity students will write a
journal entry from the
perspective of an individual
involved in the events occurring
in the Nez Perce homelands that
explains how the events have
impacted him or her.
Description…
Following an activity using paintings
of the Nez Perce, the students will
take notes about the impact on the
Nez Perce while viewing a power
point presentation about the Nez
Perce between the Walla Walla
Treaty and 1877.
Title: The Nez Perce: Fugitives!
SWBAT
Question A: What happened
between the United States and
the Nez Perce that caused them
to abandon their homeland?
Question B: What were the
effects of westward expansion on
the Nez Perce?
The student will be able to explain
the cause and effect relationship
the impact westward expansion
had on the Nez Perce.
AssessmentOn a cause and effect chart the
student will identify the events
that caused the Nez Perce to
leave their homeland and the
effects westward expansion had
on the Nez Perce.
Description…
In a small group activity the students
will read a biography about Chief
Joseph and study a map of the War of
1877. They will identify causes for
leaving their homelands and effects
of westward expansion on the Nez
Perce.
On an exit slip the students will
complete a 3.2.1 Chart that
explains Nez Perce lifestyles
and identifies early settlers.
7. Related Materials and Resources:













Guided Power Point Presentations for each lesson
Primary Source Documents packet
o Source A: Journal entry from Lewis and Clark expedition
o Source B: Fort Nez Perce painting
o Source C: Walla Walla Council painting
o Source D: Treaty violations letter
o Source E: General Howard Telegram
o Source F: Surrender Speech
Background Information Sheet for each source
The Nez Perce Essay
The Nez Perce Web
Onslaught Power Point
Documents power point
Examining IMPACT handout (I Chart)
Nez Perce 3.2.1 Exit Slip
Nez Perce War of 1877 Map
Chief Joseph Biography
Nez Perce War of 1877 Pyramid
Primary sources to display on screen for easier viewing (available in power point)
8. Related Extension Materials to use as desired
 Map Packet
o Cultural Areas at Time of Contact
o Map 1820
o Nez Perce Territory
o Land Losses
o American Indians of the West
 Written Document Analysis Worksheet
 Background Information: Walla Walla Treaty Council-1855 and The Treaty Trail essays
8. Annotated Instructional Bibliography
American Indians of the Pacific Northwest. The Library of Congress: American Memory. Web.
<http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/pacific/>.
This is a collection of photographs and text relating to the American Indians in the Northwest
Coast and Plateau areas of the Pacific Northwest. Two main features are a gallery of maps and
essays about cultural groups from the area. The Library of Congress partnered with the University
of Washington Libraries.
Digital Collections. University of Washington Libraries. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://content.lib.washington.edu/index.html>.
The collection has an extensive amount of well-documented Nez Perce images and text. It also
offers the ease of creating a favorites page that can be bookmarked on your computer.
First People. First People of America and First People of Canada : Turtle Island. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://www.firstpeople.us/>.
This is a child friendly, educational site about American Indians and members of the First Nations
(Canadian Indians). In an easy to use format for students, the website includes photographs,
legends, treaties, and literature in an easy to use format for students. As a precaution, there are
images and other items that can be purchased, but the ease of finding specific images makes the
website worthwhile.
The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. U of Nebraska Press / U of Nebraska-Lincoln LibrariesElectronic Text Center, 5 Oct. 2005. Web. <http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/index.html>.
This website uses the text of the Nebraska edition of the Lewis and Clark Journals edited by Gary
E. Moulton. The format is easy to use and can be accessed by year and month. It is easy to scroll
through the month if looking for a specific date. Included are additional texts, images, maps, and
multimedia.
Kappler, Charles J. INDIAN AFFAIRS: LAWS AND TREATIES. Oklahoma State University Library.
Web. 07 May 2011. <http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/>.
This website is a compilation of U.S. treaties, laws and executive orders pertaining to Native
American Indian tribes. Compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler, it was first published as a
seven volume set in 1904. The treaties are organized by Tribe name and by year. It includes
images of the original treaties as well as easy to read transcripts.
Kate and Sue McBeth: Missionary Teachers to the Nez Perce. University of Idaho Library, 24 Apr. 2000.
Web. 07 May 2011. <http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/mcbeth/welcome.htm>.
Kate and Sue McBeth were missionary teachers to the Nez Perce during the end of the nineteenth
century. This website explores their relationship with the Nez Perce through bibliographies of
individuals, personal and government documents, maps, and images.
"New Perspectives on THE WEST." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service, 2001. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/program/>.
In 1996, PBS premiered its eight-part series, The West. This website provides background
information about the episodes as well as archival images and links to other resources. It also
includes lesson plans with one lesson plan specifically about the Nez Perce.
Oregon Encyclopedia. Portland State University, 2011. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/>.
While the information pertaining to the Nez Perce in this website is somewhat limited, it does
have some useful information and continues to have new information added on a regular basis.
The search feature brings up images that have related articles for background information. This
website is especially useful for information about the Walla Walla Treaty Council 1855.
The Oregon History Project. Oregon Historical Society, 2002. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://www.ohs.org/education/oregonhistory/index.cfm>.
In addition to a collect of documents about the Nez Perce, this website offers the ability to enlarge
images for clear viewing. It also has two interesting applications. The Timeweb feature allows you
to create a timeline based on a time period, a subject, or a combination of both. It then places
documents into a time line. A second interesting feature is is called Historic Viewers. It allows the
user to drag a "magnifying glass" over a document to be able to view the document in detail.
Potter, Lee Ann, and Wynell Schamel. "The Homestead Act of 1862." Teaching With Documents: The
Homestead Act of 1862. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/homestead-act/>.
The Teaching with Documents website, organized chronologically, offers a wealth of information
about using historical documents. The Homestead Act of 1862 article includes an image of a
homesteading family and a copy of a homesteading agreement along with background
information. This document can be used to show a connection between government policies and
the impact they made on American Indians.
Stern, Theodore, MARTIN SCHMITT, and ALPHONSE F. Halfmoon. "A Cayuse-Nez Percé
Sketchbook." University of Oregon Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives, 9 Apr.
2006. Web. 07 May 2011. <http://libweb.uoregon.edu/ec/exhibits/sketchbook/essay.html>.
This is an article about a sketchbook that was found in an abandoned house on the Umatilla Indian
Reservation in Oregon. The sketchbook includes thirty-two drawings in a school composition
notebook. The exact time period that the sketchbook was made has not been determined. The
website offers images of the sketchbook along with explanations for each image.
Washington State Historical Society. Washington State Historical Society. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://www.washingtonhistory.org/default.aspx>.
Search results within this website categorizes the information into specified collections. Each
entry provides background information and allows links to related subjects. The user can zoom for
detail on the images.
"We Shall Remain | American Experience | PBS." We Shall Remain. PBS. American Experience, 13 Apr.
2009. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 07 May 2011.
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/>.
A PBS television series is available for purchase or can be viewed online. It offers an extensive
teacher's guide that includes interviews of current American Indians, student activities, and
episode descriptions.