Bozeman Public Schools
Indian Education for All
Name of Lesson: The Takeover of Indian Land: A White Man's View and an Indian's View
Subject Area Focus: Social Studies
Grade Level: 9-12
Prepared by: Marily McWilliams
*Overview
& Purpose
*Materials
1) To compare and contrast two viewpoints about the takeover of Indian land by
European settlers in the late 1800s.
2) To consider whether the displacement of the Indians was inevitable.
3) To consider particular beliefs which caused the clash of cultures such as
differing concepts of land "ownership."
Opposing Viewpoints in American History: Volume II, From Reconstruction to the
Present. William Dudley, Ed. San Diego, Greenhaven Press, 1996.
Applicable section: Twilight of the American Frontier, Viewpoints 5A and 5B
1) Pages 28-31. Excerpt from Theodore Roosevelt's book, The Winning of the
West, vol. 1. New York Knickerbocker Press, 1889.
2) Pages 31-39. Translated version of Chief Joseph's speech to Congress, "An
Indian's View of Indian Affairs." North American Review, April 1879.
*Time Required
Copies of the questions at the end of each introductory section. (See below)
1 class period to introduce and let students work in class.
Homework time to finish reading and answering the questions.
Part of another class period to discuss the readings.
Bozeman Public Schools
Adapted from Georgia Department of Education
January 2007
page 1
*IEFA Essential #4: Reservations are land that have been reserved by the tribes for their own use
Understanding(s) through treaties and was not "given" to them. The principle that land should be
acquired from the Indians only through their consent with treaties involved three
assumptions:
A) That both parties to treaties were sovereign powers.
B) That Indian tribes had some form of transferable title to the land.
C) That acquisition of Indian lands was solely a government matter not to be left to
individual colonists.
#5: There were many federal policies put into place throughout American history
that have impacted Indian people and shape who they are today. Much of Indian
history can be related through several major federal policy periods.
*Content
Standard(s)
*Primary
Learner Results
#6: History is a story and most often related through the subjective experience of
the teller. Histories are being rediscovered and revised. History told from an Indian
perspective conflicts with what most of mainstream history tells us.
Montana Social Studies Standards for 12th grade:
1.2, 1.3 Students evaluate information
2.4 Tribal governments interact with federal governments
2.6 Conflict between groups
3.4 Human settlement patterns create conflict
4.2 Cultures, events, periods, and patterns of change influence each other
4.3 Analyze historical developments to formulate and defend decisions on policy
4.4a Analyze the significance of people, events, and ideas in major
eras/civilizations in Montana, American Indian tribes, and the United States.
4.4b Analyze issues using historical evidence to form a reasoned position
4.6 Investigate, interpret, and analyze the impact of multiple historical viewpoints
concerning events across cultures
4.7 Analyze and illustrate major issues concerning history, culture, tribal
sovereignty, and current status of American Indian tribes
6.1 Evaluate the ways various groups meet human needs and concerns and
contribute to personal identity
6.3 Analyze the impact of ethnic, and national influences on specific situations or
events.
6.4 Evaluate how unique characteristics of American Indian tribes have
contributed to Montana's history
6.5 Analyze the conflicts resulting from cultural assimilation and cultural
preservation among various ethnic groups in Montana and the United States
1) Students will analyze the two documents by answering a series of questions
about each one; this will demonstrate understanding of the contrasting viewpoints.
2) Students will grapple with the difficult questions illustrated in the documents
(such as the displacement of Indian peoples and differing concepts of land
"ownership".)
*Procedures
Step 1
Bozeman Public Schools
Adapted from Georgia Department of Education
January 2007
page 2
Description
Duration
Step 2
Description
Duration
Step 3
Description
Before completing this document based lesson, students should have a familiarity
with the basic facts of Indian policy and key events in the late 1800's.
Introduce the two readings to students and read through the short introductory
sections with them. (Readings listed above: the excerpt from Theodore Roosevelt's
book and the speech by Chief Joseph).
Students should read the two articles and answer the questions at the end of each
introductory section. Provide students with a worksheet listing the questions as
follows and give the rest of the class period for them to begin working on this
assignment. Have students finish it for homework.
For Theodore Roosevelt's book excerpt:
1) How would you summarize Roosevelt's attitude toward American Indians?
2) What objections does Roosevelt have to "sentimentalists" and their portrayal of
the Indian?
3) Do you agree with Roosevelt that the Indians' displacement was inevitable?
Why or why not?
For Chief Joseph's speech:
1) What laws and values does Joseph describe as important?
2) How different or similar are they to the values expressed in the selection by
Roosevelt?
3) What does Joseph's account reveal about the clash of civilizations between
white settlers and American Indians?
4) What does it reveal about divisions within the Nez Perce?
5) About the U.S. government?
6) Does the story described by Chief Joseph strengthen or weaken the argument
that violent clashes between whites and Indians were inevitable?
Duration
Step 4
Description
Hold a class discussion about their answers to the questions.
Possible teaching strategies:
1) Have students discuss in small groups and then as a whole group
2) Use an "opinion continuum" about some of the issues. Students place
themselves along the continuum and explain why they are there. (For example:
One end of continuum is "Displacement was inevitable." The other end is
"Displacement was not inevitable."
3) Have students make word webs of their main reactions to the documents and
then share them with two friends.
Duration
Assessment
Collect the students' written answers to the questions. Score them according to
their depth of understanding of each document and their explanation of points of
Bozeman Public Schools
Adapted from Georgia Department of Education
January 2007
page 3
Resources
comparison and contrast.
Opposing Viewpoints in American History: Volume II, From Reconstruction to the
Present. William Dudley, Ed. San Diego, Greenhaven Press, 1996.
Bozeman Public Schools
Adapted from Georgia Department of Education
January 2007
page 4