Unit 3 - American Conquest
America today is a superpower, but how did the country get so big if it only started off as 13 measly colonies? How did the US do it and at what cost? 8th graders will be diving into these tough questions as we look into the growth of this country geographically, politically, technologically, and economically. We will be looking at a lot of primary sources by white Americans as well as American Indians to try to understand the causes and effects of conflict and compromise between these two disparate groups. We will discuss the major steps taken by the U.S. government to expand and control the continent, including the expedition of Lewis & Clark, Tecumseh and the War of 1812, the Trail of Tears, the Mexican-American War, the use of treaties (and their violations), the Oregon and Mormon Trails, as well as the Gold Rush and Transcontinental Railroad.
Essential Questions
How did the U.S. continue to buy, gain, and take land?
Why and how did major conflicts arise between the U.S. government and American Indians?
How did the U.S. grow politically, economically, and technologically?
Why and how did major conflicts arise between the U.S. government and American Indians?
How did the U.S. grow politically, economically, and technologically?
Links and Videos
Primary Source: The Corps of Discovery Journals - The entire surviving collection of Lewis and Clark/Corps of Discovery journals, indexed by name, place, or date. Students research entries of their choice.
Primary Source: Life in the Far West by George Ruxton - A fur trapper's memoir, we read sections on his view of native women to better understand the possibilities of Sacagawea's life.
Website: Lewis and Clark Website - Students research articles of their choice on this website. A budget ledger by Lewis and a composed speech to the Crow tribe of Montana by Clark are some of the links visited as a class within the site.
Website: Lewis and Clark PBS - Here is a multitude of web pages and resources on the Corps of Discovery and their expedition, not required or used in class. Optional.
Primary Source: Tecumseh's Speech to William Henry Harrison, Indiana, 1810.
Primary Source: Star-Spangled Banner by F.S. Key - Did you know our National Anthem originally had four verses?
Primary Source and Website: Fort Laramie Treaty, 1851 - Students read this to introduce themselves to the structure/purpose of treaties.
Primary Source: Hellgate Treaty, 1855 - Students read this in its entirety and try to interpret the logical consequences for their place (Bonner, Missoula, the Bitterroot, the Flathead Reservation) into the modern day.
Source: Montana, Stories of the Land textbook. This textbook is available online through the Montana Historical Society, included in its index are the actual digital chapters and attending primary sources. We use many pages and primary sources from this textbook/website, including a letter by Frank Elliot, Cornelius Hedges, Emily Meredith, and Chief Victor (Salish).
Video: Invasion of America - In one minute, watch how the treaty process chipped away at tribal nations, from the 13 colonies to the modern day.
Article: Changes to the $20 - USA Today - For students curious about why the bill might change in relation to our study on Andrew Jackson.
Primary Sources: Andrew Jackson to Congress On Indian Removal, 1830 and James Monroe On Indian Removal, 1825
Video: We Shall Remain, Episode 3 - Trail of Tears (PBS)
Primary Source: Wahnenaui (Cherokee) and John Burnett (US Army) Recall the Trail of Tears - Students read both of these.
Primary Source: Martin Charlot (Salish) describes the futility of farming in the Bitterroot Valley
Website: Smithsonian's Native Knowledge 360 - What Does It Mean to Remove a People? Fact Sheet and Links on Indian Removal
Website: The Long Walk (Smithsonian's NK360)
Poem: Linda Hogan's "Trail of Tears: Our Removal"
Primary Source: Mary Ballou describes her gold rush kitchen (California)
Map: Mormon Population in the U.S. - Observe how prevalent Mormonism is in Utah, Eastern Idaho, and the West in general. Search county by county.4
Maps: Migration Patterns of Americans, from the Revolution to the Modern Day - See how/where Americans moved West as technology and times changed.
Into the West: A dramatic mini-series with real and fictional characters of the American West, produced by Steven Spielberg and aired by TNT.
Primary Source: Life in the Far West by George Ruxton - A fur trapper's memoir, we read sections on his view of native women to better understand the possibilities of Sacagawea's life.
Website: Lewis and Clark Website - Students research articles of their choice on this website. A budget ledger by Lewis and a composed speech to the Crow tribe of Montana by Clark are some of the links visited as a class within the site.
Website: Lewis and Clark PBS - Here is a multitude of web pages and resources on the Corps of Discovery and their expedition, not required or used in class. Optional.
Primary Source: Tecumseh's Speech to William Henry Harrison, Indiana, 1810.
Primary Source: Star-Spangled Banner by F.S. Key - Did you know our National Anthem originally had four verses?
Primary Source and Website: Fort Laramie Treaty, 1851 - Students read this to introduce themselves to the structure/purpose of treaties.
Primary Source: Hellgate Treaty, 1855 - Students read this in its entirety and try to interpret the logical consequences for their place (Bonner, Missoula, the Bitterroot, the Flathead Reservation) into the modern day.
Source: Montana, Stories of the Land textbook. This textbook is available online through the Montana Historical Society, included in its index are the actual digital chapters and attending primary sources. We use many pages and primary sources from this textbook/website, including a letter by Frank Elliot, Cornelius Hedges, Emily Meredith, and Chief Victor (Salish).
Video: Invasion of America - In one minute, watch how the treaty process chipped away at tribal nations, from the 13 colonies to the modern day.
Article: Changes to the $20 - USA Today - For students curious about why the bill might change in relation to our study on Andrew Jackson.
Primary Sources: Andrew Jackson to Congress On Indian Removal, 1830 and James Monroe On Indian Removal, 1825
Video: We Shall Remain, Episode 3 - Trail of Tears (PBS)
Primary Source: Wahnenaui (Cherokee) and John Burnett (US Army) Recall the Trail of Tears - Students read both of these.
Primary Source: Martin Charlot (Salish) describes the futility of farming in the Bitterroot Valley
Website: Smithsonian's Native Knowledge 360 - What Does It Mean to Remove a People? Fact Sheet and Links on Indian Removal
Website: The Long Walk (Smithsonian's NK360)
Poem: Linda Hogan's "Trail of Tears: Our Removal"
Primary Source: Mary Ballou describes her gold rush kitchen (California)
Map: Mormon Population in the U.S. - Observe how prevalent Mormonism is in Utah, Eastern Idaho, and the West in general. Search county by county.4
Maps: Migration Patterns of Americans, from the Revolution to the Modern Day - See how/where Americans moved West as technology and times changed.
Into the West: A dramatic mini-series with real and fictional characters of the American West, produced by Steven Spielberg and aired by TNT.