Teaching

American History

For All

A series of lessons incorporating literacy strategies for

Mt Diablo Unified School District

5th, 8th, and 11th grade teachers,

in partnership with

University Of California, Berkeley

History-Social Science Project

8th Grade Lesson: Jackson’s Indian Removal

Sue Kunich, MDUSD 8th Grade Teacher Leader

Will Gregory, MDUSD 8th Grade Teacher Leader

Candace Chen, UCB History Graduate Student

Lauren Weaver, MDUSD Grant Coordinator


Teaching American History for All

MDUSD/UCB H-SSP

8th Grade Lesson: “Jackson’s Indian Removal”

Developed by: Sue Kunich & Will Gregory

Teaching American History Grant Focus Question:

How did definitions of citizenship change from the 17th century to the 20th century?

8th Grade Year-long Focus Questions:

How did federalism shape the roles of the national and state governments?

How did the rights of citizens expand and contract during the 18th and 19th centuries?

Unit Focus:

Unit 3: The New Republic; Chapter 9: The Age of Jackson; Section 3: Indian Removal

Unit Focus Question:

How did the United States solve social, political, and economic challenges as the nation grew?

OR

In its early years as a republic, how did the United States tackle the social, economic, and political effects of its growth?

Unit Working Thesis:

The political success of Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans led the nation through a huge expansion of The Louisiana Purchase, The Oregon Trail, and acquisition of the Southwest from Mexico. The economy became more industrialized, and independent of Great Britain, a trend that was increased with the War of 1812. With this expansion came contact and conflicts.

Lesson Focus Question:

How were Native Americans affected by Jacksonian Democracy?

Lesson Working Thesis:

During the Age of Jackson, individual rights for white males expanded, yet at the same time, Jackson’s policies limited the rights of non-whites, including Native Americans.

Reading Strategy:

Sentence level deconstruction of primary source

President Jackson on Indian Removal, Dec. 8, 1829 (Message to Congress)

Passage-level reading strategy of primary source using Cause & Effect Chart

Chief Black Hawk’s Surrender Speech ~ 1832

Writing Strategy:

Analyzing A Source Worksheet to interpret The Trail of Tears 1942 painted by Robert Lindneux

Suggested Amount of Time:

2 class periods or 90 minutes

Textbook:

Deverell, William and White, Deborah Gray. United States History: Independence to 1914. Orlando, Florida: Holt, Rinehart and Winston., 2006, Chapter 9:(The Age of Jackson; Section 3), pp 294–297.

Other Resources:

Primary source(s)

President Andrew Jackson, Excerpt of December 8, 1829 “Annual Message to Congress.” Francis Paul Prucha, Documents in United States Indian Policy, Second Edition, Expanded (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990), 47-48.

Surrender Speech by Chief Black Hawk ~ 1832

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Chapter Resource File, The Age of Jackson, 12-13.

Context of the lesson in the unit:

This lesson will come ¾ of the way through Unit 3: The New Republic and is the final lesson in Chapter 9 : The Age of Jackson.

Concept of citizenship embedded in the lesson:

Students will understand that expanded rights for some white males does not apply to Native Americans since they did not have the same rights of citizenship.

Lesson Procedure:

1. Introduction

1.  After review of Chapter 9 Section 3 “Indian Removal” (and Jacksonian Democracy) distribute copies of Jackson’s December 1829 Message to Congress & Sentence Level Deconstruction Handout.

2. Reading Strategy #1

1.  Teacher will demonstrate to the class how to deconstruct the first sentence, using the teacher key to guide student responses.

2.  Group or pair students to complete the graphic organizer on their own. Teacher floats around classroom offering help and guidance where necessary.

3.  Review and clarify conclusions and questions as a class, paying particular attention to interests of the Indians versus the interests of the states and the Executive, and how Jackson defends his response.

4.  Review answers to lesson questions to reinforce these themes.

3. Reading Strategy #2

1.  Distribute Chief Black Hawk’s Surrender Speech (1832)

2.  Teacher reads speech aloud to the class as students follow along

3.  Distribute Cause & Effect. Handout

4.  Explain how the chart works, and model response for the first row of boxes.

5.  Students complete handout in same partner groups while teacher roves around the classroom monitoring progress and assisting where necessary.

6.  Review students responses as a class on the overhead projector to reinforce visually

7.  Discuss content questions to highlight Native American perspective to Indian Removal.

5.  Writing Strategy

1.  Display Trail of Tears image and/or handout copies of image.

a.  Show picture, and one line caption only.

2.  Distribute Analyzing an Source worksheet

3.  Teacher reviews Who, When, Where sections with class and models completion of the top sections.

4.  Teacher clarifies instructions of the Object section to class

5.  Students complete in groups while teacher monitors progress.

6.  Clarify What & How & Why Section to ensure student understanding

7.  Let students complete in groups.

8.  Have students complete Basic Writing –One Source scaffolded writing template.

9.  Teacher provides assistance and clarification to groups or whole class as necessary.

10.  Incorporate all 3 sources/exercises into a concluding discussion about how Native Americans were affected by Jacksonian Democracy.

11.  Optional Comparison Image: Display engraving from a textbook “Indian emigration” circa 1850

12.  Discuss how interpretations of historical events may change over time.

History-Social Science Content Standards:

8.8 Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced.

1.  Discuss the election of Andrew Jackson as president in 1828, the importance of Jacksonian democracy, and his actions as president (e.g., the spoils system, veto of the National Bank, policy of Indian removal, opposition to the Supreme Court).

Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills:

Chronological and Spatial Thinking

1.  Students explain how major events are related to one another in time.

3. Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems.

Research, Evidence, and Point of View

4.  Students assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound conclusions from them.

5.  Students detect the different historical points of view on historical events and determine the context in which the historical statements were made (the questions asked, sources used, author's perspectives).

Historical Interpretation

1.  Students explain the central issues and problems from the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place.

2.  Students understand and distinguish cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in historical events, including the long-and short-term causal relations. .

3.  Students recognize that interpretations of history are subject to change as new information is uncovered.

Reading/Language Arts Content Standards:

2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They describe and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives of the text by using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose.

1.0 Writing Strategies

1.3 Support theses or conclusions with analogies, paraphrases, quotations, opinions from authorities, comparisons, and similar devices.

2.0 Writing Applications

2.4b. Present detailed evidence, examples, and reasoning to support arguments, differentiating between facts and opinion.

2.0 Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)

2.1b. Reveal the significance of, and the subject's attitude about, the incident, event, or situation.


President Jackson on Indian Removal

December 8, 1829

The executive branch of the federal government was firmly committed to the removal of the eastern tribes to the region west of the Mississippi by President Andrew Jackson. In his First Annual Message to Congress in December 1829 he set forth his views.

…A portion, however, of the Southern tribes, having mingled much with the whites and made some progress in the arts of civilized life, have lately attempted to erect an independent government within the limits of Georgia and Alabama. These States, claiming to be the only sovereigns within their territories, extended their laws over the Indians, which induced the latter to call upon the United States for protection.

Under these circumstances the question presented was whether the General Government had a right to sustain those people in their pretensions. The Constitution declares that “no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other State” without the consent of its legislature.

… I informed the Indians inhabiting parts of Georgia and Alabama that their attempt to establish an independent government would not be countenanced by the Executive of the United States, and advised them to emigrate beyond the Mississippi or submit to the laws of those States.

…Surrounded by the whites with their arts of civilization, which by destroying the resources of the savage doom him to weakness and decay, the fate of the Mohegan, the Narragansett, and the Delaware is fast overtaking the Choctaw, the Cherokee, and the Creek. …this fate surely awaits them if they remain within the limits of the States… Humanity and national honor demand that every effort should be made to avert so great a calamity.

…As a means of effecting this end, I suggest for your consideration the propriety of setting apart an ample district west of the Mississippi…to be guaranteed to the Indian tribes as long as they shall occupy it, each tribe having a distinct control over the portion designated for its use.

Source:

President Andrew Jackson, Excerpt of December 8, 1829 “Annual Message to Congress.” Francis Paul Prucha, Documents in United States Indian Policy, Second Edition, Expanded (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990), 47-48.

Vocabulary

sovereigns supreme authority

pretensions claims

jurisdiction the power, right, or authority to interpret and apply the law

actuated moved to action

countenanced approved

calamity a state of deep distress or misery caused by major misfortune or loss

propriety conformity to what is socially acceptable

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TEACHER KEY Lesson Question: How were Native Americans affected by Jacksonian Democracy?

Time marker / connector words / Who (subject) Participants / Action words (verbs / verb phrases) / Who, What, Where
Message / Questions or conclusions –
What connections can you make from this information?
A portion of the Southern tribes / having mingled / much with the whites / What have the tribes attempted to do?
What type of progress might have been made?
And / [these tribes] / made / some progress in the arts of civilized life,
[these tribes] / have lately attempted to erect / an independent government within the limits of Georgia and Alabama.
These States / claiming to be / the only sovereigns within their territories, / How did the states respond to what the Indians did?
Who did the Indians ask for help?
[these states] / extended / their laws over the Indians,
Which / [these states] / induced / the latter [the Indians]
to call upon / the United States for protection.
Under these circumstances / the question presented / was / whether the General Government had a right to sustain those people in their pretensions.
The Constitution / declares / that “no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other State” without the consent of its legislature. / A new state within a state can only be formed if the lawmakers in the state approve.
I / informed / the Indians inhabiting parts of Georgia and Alabama / Y/N: Does Jackson approve of the Indians’ attempt to set up an independent gov’t?
That / their attempt to establish an independent government / would not be countenanced / by the Executive of the United States.
And / [Jackson] / advised / them to emigrate beyond the Mississippi or submit to the laws of those States.
Surrounded by / the whites with their arts of civilization, which / by destroying / the resources of the savage / Why is the “savage” doomed to weakness and decay?
What do you think the fate of the Mohegan, Narragansett and the Delaware was?
doom / him to weakness and decay
the fate of the Mohegan, the Narragansett, and the Delaware / is fast overtaking / the Choctow, the Cherokee, and the Creek.
… this fate / surely awaits / them
If / they / remain / Within the limits of the State.
Humanity and national honor / demand / that every effort should be made to avert so great a calamity. / What is the calamity?
Is Jackson’s statement sincere?
As a means of effecting this end, / I / suggest for your consideration / the propriety of setting apart an ample district West of the Mississippi / What does Jackson suggest?
to be guaranteed / to the Indian tribes as long as they shall occupy it,
each tribe / having a distinct control over / the portion designated for its use.

Lesson Questions: 1. What do the Indians’ want?

The Federal Gov’t to protect their independent gov’t within Georgia

2. Does Jackson agree with what the Indians want?

No

3. What does Jackson think is in the Indians’ best interest?

Moving them so that they won’t be doomed to weakness and decay.

4. Do you think Jackson has a strong argument?

12

NAME ______

STUDENT VERSION A Lesson Question: How were Native Americans affected by Jacksonian Democracy?

Time marker / connector words / Who (subject) Participants / Action words (verbs / verb phrases) / Who, What, Where
Message / Questions or conclusions –
What connections can you make from this information?
A portion of the Southern tribes / having mingled / much with the whites / What have the tribes attempted to do?
What type of progress might have been made?
and / [these tribes] / made / some progress in the arts of civilized life,
[these tribes] / have lately attempted to erect / an independent government within the limits of Georgia and Alabama.
These States / the only sovereigns within their territories,
[these states] / extended / their laws over the Indians,
which / [these states] / the latter [the Indians]
to call upon
the question presented / was / whether the General Government had a right to
______
______
in their pretensions.
The Constitution / that “no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other State” without the consent of its legislature.
informed
that / their attempt to establish an independent government / would not be countenanced
and / [Jackson] / advised
Surrounded by / the whites with their arts of civilization, which / by destroying
doom
the fate of the Mohegan, the Narragansett, and the Delaware / is fast overtaking / the Choctow, the Cherokee, and the Creek.
surely awaits / them
if / they / remain
demand / that every effort should be made to avert so great a calamity.
As a means of effecting this end, / I / suggest for your consideration
to be guaranteed / to the Indian tribes as long as they shall occupy it
each tribe / having a distinct control over / the portion designated for its use.

Lesson Questions: 1. What do the Indians want?