Native+Americans

Task: You are members of a variety of American Indian tribes inhabiting land through which the Iron Road cuts its swath. It is not hard to see that the railway will end your current way of life for a variety of reasons. It will transport many new settlers who will want increasing amounts of land on the Great Plains. It may bring miners who will find gold or silver on land that is currently yours under various treaties with the U.S. government. In addition, the coming of the railway threatens the existence of the great buffalo herds on which your way of life depends. You will create claims to expresses the sorrow and anger you feel as you see the Iron Road destroying your way of life, and a request to Washington, D.C. asking for specific remedies.

Format: Your claims can take on various forms. You could use propaganda posters, videos that persuade, or any other method to make your claims.

Before you create your promotional item, you need to complete the following steps. You should take notes for each step.

> > > >
 * 1)  Map the significant places along the route. The journey starts in Omaha, Nebraska and ends in California.
 * 1)  Research how the Plains Indians hunted the buffalo and then made use of each and every part of the animal.
 * 1)  Be able to explain why the entire lifestyle of the Plains Indian tribes was dependent on the buffalo.
 * 1)  Find out about how various Indian tribes reacted to the invasion of the railroad through their heartlands.

Helpful Sites: > > > > > >
 *  The West, Episode 5: The Grandest Enterprise Under God: [|__http://www.pbs.org/thewest/program/episodes/five/__]
 *  Images from the West: [|__http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/five/__]
 *  Places of the West: [|__http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/places/trails_ter/__]
 *  The West, Good Company: [|__http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/program/episodes/five/goodcompany.htm__]
 *  The West, A wound in the Heart: [|__http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/program/episodes/five/woundinheart.htm__]
 *  The West, Archives: [|__http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/index.htm__] (See especially archives for episdoes [|__Five__], [|__Six__] , [|__Seven__] , and [|__Eight__] .)

Also, go to Mr. Fralick’s site and use the Sweet Search link to find any additional resources that you may need.