U.S. Conquest of the West: Native American Dispossession, Reservations (Concentration), Reorganization & Native Resistance, 1860s-early 20^thCentury

A two paragraph essay with two short response essays to your peers

After having read Takaki’s, A Different Mirror, ch. 9, “The ‘Indian Question’: From Reservation to Reorganization” through p. ( “American Yawp, ch. 17, Conquering the West),

Listened to Podcast “Constitutional”, episode “Ancestry,” on the important 1879 Federal Court Case, read the rest of our material on this important topic, and seen our film clips-

write a two paragraph essay in which you address the following:

Choose one of the following three choices for your two paragraph essay:

Choice 1) Podcast discussion. Write a well-developed essay in which you discuss all of the ways that this historical podcast, “Constitutional”, episode “Ancestry,” (on the seminal 1879 Court Case involving Chief Standing Bear and the status of Native Peoples under the U.S. Constitution)- is important for our understanding of U.S.-Native Relations in the late 19^th century. Tell us all about the story of Chief Standing Bear and his people. Tell us all about the ways that the U.S. Constitution dealt with Native peoples. Tell us all about this court case, its deliberations, its outcome, and tell us all of the ways this case continues to be important today.

Choices 2 and 3: Write a well-developed essay in which you analyze one of the following primary sources: (make sure you’ve read them all). All materials are in Canvas

Choice 2) Chief Joseph on Indian Affairs (1877, 1879-this is the primary source) (you’ll find important historical context in Takaki ch. 9, and “American Yawp, ch. 17)

Choice 3) Tom Torlino (1882, 1885) Navajo native entered Carlisle Indian School (U.S. Boarding school to “de-Indianize” and “Americanize” native youth as part of Federal Indian Policy) AND Richard Pratt, director of Carlisle Indian Industrial School (both are primary sources), 1879, who explains rationale behind the Boarding Schools. They are in the class Powerpoint side by side (you’ll find important historical context in Takaki ch. 9, and “American Yawp, ch. 17).

Address the following for the primary source(s) you’re analyzing:

a) tell us all about the primary source- who, when, where, to whom, audience…

b) provide historical context: tell us what’s going on at the time this document is created, what is the history behind your document? (bring in material from Takaki)- this is very important for our understanding of the document. Tell us about U.S. Policies towards Native peoples in the late 19^th century. Tell us about the history of the Reservation system for Natives when discussing Chief Joseph. Tell us about the history of U.S. policies towards Native assimilation, including the “Indian Boarding Schools” if writing about Torlino and Pratt.

c) tell us about the message, the language, the imagery, and all of the ways this (or these, if you have two)primary source(s) is/are important to our understanding of this nation’s history and to our understanding of Race/Ethnicity in the U.S.

Length of your essay: Two substantial paragraphs with specific examples.

Required Response Essays (also part of your grade). You are also required to respond to at least two other student’s original essays during the same time period (one has to be on a different document or podcast that you wrote about; show that you’ve thought deeply about more than one source). You can amplify on a point made, raise a related point, discuss the issue in relation to other documents, agree or disagree with supporting evidence (in a constructive way), and/or raise new informed questions that we should all think about. Two thoughtful, well-developed, and well-supported paragraphs should suffice for your responses (one well-developed paragraph per response). To reply to a classmates’ posting, click “reply” to that posting.

Format/Works cited. Because you’re using our films, our books and our documents, just cite which ones you’re using: which film; which book (page number); and which document (which book and what page). No need for a separate ‘works cited’ page here.