Peter N. Herndon
Goals:
1. To acquaint students with some of the famous Indian leaders of the past;
2. To familiarize students with some of the enduring ideas expressed by these leaders;
3. To discuss reasons for the statements made by these individuals in an attempt to understand the context for these remarks;
4. To "get into the heads" of the individuals who spoke for others as well as themselves and create empathy with them.
5. To remind students that difficulties in communicating across cultures still exists today among peoples of different racial and cultural backgrounds. (native Americans and immigrant Americans, for example)
Methods:
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1. Introduce the lesson by reminding students that Indians often suffered and were killed for no reason other than the fact that they were in the way of "progress." What good is progress if in the process we treat innocent people as obstacles and forget that they are human beings? Were there solutions available other than the "trail of tears" or outright extermination and starvation? Why weren't they put into place? What does this tell us about the character of many of our citizens?
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2. The Indian leaders we will discuss were different from one another in appearance, personality and culture. As we read these quotations, ask yourself:
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· What is the attitude of this person (defiant, sad, resigned, philosophical)?
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· Are there events causing this person to speak as he did?
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· What values does this person express?
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· Who was this person's audience?
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· Be able to summarize in your own words what the speaker was really saying.
Procedures:
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1. The teacher prepares students for this lesson by handing out the "Quotation Sheet: The Indian Mind" (below) for homework the night before discussion in class. Students should pick three of their favorites to summarize in their own words and be prepared to read their summaries.
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2. Pick students to read one of their summaries to the rest of the class. They should tell why this quotation appealed to them. Ask other members of the class to comment until most of the quotes have been discussed.
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3. After asking the questions about several quotes above (under Methods #2) the teacher can give some of the remarks context by explaining who the person making the quote was and the circumstances behind the remarks.
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4. Ask the students to write a page essay, entitled "The Indian Mind in the 1900's" using several quotations as illustrations to be read in class.
QUOTATION SHEET: THE INDIAN MIND
Source of Quotations: Susan Hazen-Hammond, Timelines of Native American History, pages 92, 101, 104, 109, 113, 119, 125, 128, 135, 144, 147, 155, 167.
A. "Brother: We are of the same opinion with the people of the United States; you consider yourselves as independent people; we, as the original inhabitants of this country, and sovereigns of the soil, look upon ourselves as equally independent, and free as any other nation or nations. This country was given to us by the Great Spirit above; we wish to enjoy it, and have our passage along the lake within the line we have pointed out…. We have told you our patience is worn out; but not so far, but that we wish for peace, and whenever we hear that pleasing sound, we shall pay attention to it."
--Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) Mohawk leader, at a council with whites, 1794.
B. "I have done the white people all the harm I could. I have fought them, and fought them bravely. If I had an army, I would yet fight, and contend to the last. But I have none. My people are all gone. I can now do no more than weep over the misfortunes of my nation."
--Red Eagle, Creek leader, surrendering to Gen. Andrew Jackson, 1814.
C. "The Great Spirit made us all-he made my skin red, and yours white; he placed us on this earth, and intended that we should live differently from each other. He made the whites to cultivate the earth, and feed on domestic animals; but he made us, red skins, to rove through the uncultivated woods and plains; to feed on wild animals; and to dress with their skins. He also intended that we should go to war…cultivate peace at home and promote the happiness of each other."
--Petalesharo, Pawnee leader, speaking to President James Monroe, 1822.
D. "They are now running their plows through our graveyards, turning up the bones and ashes of our sacred dead, whose spirits are calling to us from the land of dreams for vengeance on the despoilers. Will the descendants of Nanamakee and our other illustrious dead stand idly by and suffer this sacrilege to be continued?… The Great Spirit whispers in my ear, no!"
--Black Hawk, Sac leader, speaking to his people in April 1832.
E. "If among the whites, a man purchased a piece of land, and another came upon it, you would drive him off. Let the Sioux keep away from our lands and there will be peace."
--Keokuk, Sac leader, at a council in which Sioux and Sacs accuse one another of encroaching on each other's lands, October 5, 1837.
F. "This is our war. We have more right to complain of you for interfering in our war than you have to quarrel with us for continuing a war we had begun long before you got here. If you will act justly, you will allow us to settle our own differences."--Sarcilla Largo, Navaho leader, complaining about interference from the U.S. Army in the long-standing battles beween Hispanic and Navajo New Mexicans. November 21, 1846.
G. "Revenge by young men is considered gain, even at the cost of their own lives, but old men who stay at home in times of war, and mothers who have sons to lose, know better."
--Seattle, chief of the Suquamish and Duwamish, 1853 or 1854
H. "Why should I mourn at the untimely fate of my people? Tribe follows tribe, and nation follows nation, like the waves of the sea. It is the order of nature, and regret is useless. Your time of decay may be distant, but it will surely come, for even the White Man whose God walked and talked with him as friend with friend, cannot be exempt from the common destiny. We may be brothers after all. We will see."
--Chief Seattle, 1853
I. "Your friend is your enemy."
--Saying among the San Juan Paiutes, as a reminder that the only people you can really count on are family
J. "When I was young, I walked all over this country, east and west, and saw no other people than the Apaches. After many summers I walked again and found another race of people had come to take it…. The Apaches were once a great nation; they are now but few, and because of this they want to die."
--Cochise, Apache leader, at a peace council, September 1866
K. "I once thought that I was the only man that persevered to be the friend of the white man, but since they have come and cleaned out our lodges, horses, and everything else, it is hard for me to believe white men anymore."
--Black Kettle, Cheyenne leader, October 12, 1865.
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L. "The Great Spirit made us both. He gave us land and he gave you land. You came here and we received you as brothers. When the Almighty made you, He made you all white and clothed you. When He made us, He made us with red skins and poor. You do not know who appears before you to speak. He is a representative of the original American race, the first people on this continent. We are good and not bad…. If we had more lands to give you, we would give them, but we have no more. We are driven into a very little island, and we want you, our dear friends, to help us with the Government of the United States."
--Red Cloud, Sioux leader, speaking to a white audience at Cooper Institute in New York, June 16, 1870.
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M. "A long time ago this land belonged to our fathers; but when I go up to the river I see camps of soldiers on its banks. These soldiers cut down my timber; they kill my buffalo; and when I see that, my heart feels like bursting; I feel sorry. I have spoken."
--Santana, Kiowa leader known as Orator of the Plains, in 1867)