Novels
True Women & Westward Expansion by Adrienne Caughfield
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In an examination of the diaries and letters of close to ninety Texan women from the 19th century, Caughfield sheds light on woman's role in westward expansion. She argues that women played an active role in formulating the impulse for expansion itself, and analyzes these Texan womens' attitudes towards race, "civilization", and republican values. Reading excerpts from this would be useful in expanding students' understanding of the role of women during this time - taking them out of the domestic sphere alone and seeing them as active and present in the movement.
Caughfield, Adrienne. True Women & Westward Expansion. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2005.
Caughfield, Adrienne. True Women & Westward Expansion. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2005.
The Black West by William Loren Katz
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This revised and updated version of the 1971 edition by the same name documents the presence and role of African American in the West, in what has conventionally been regarded as a whites-only history. Although long (318 pages) it provides a much fuller picture of the frontier in the 19th century than the traditional textbook. Could be useful either as part of a pop-out lesson or fully integrated into a unit on Westward Expansion. Plenty of illustrations and an engaging narrative make this appropriate for middle-upper grades 6-12.
Katz, William Loren. The Black West. New York: Broadway Books, 2005.
Katz, William Loren. The Black West. New York: Broadway Books, 2005.
Andrew Jackson & His Indian Wars by Robert Vincent Remini
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This enlightening book highlights the broader interests that may have been behind Andrew Jackson's policy of Indian Removal. Issues such as National Security and a belief that keeping cultures separate was an important way to keep them at all. This book offers a very different interpretation of Jackson's actions with regards to the Native American cultures of the early 19th century than is traditionally offered. Would be a perfect addition to any discussion of Jacksonian policy during Westward Expansion. Could even be useful in a lesson on looking at secondary sources for bias and point of view. Probably better for older grades 8-12.
Remini, Robert Vincent. Andrew Jackson & His Indian Wars. New York: Viking Press, 2001.
Remini, Robert Vincent. Andrew Jackson & His Indian Wars. New York: Viking Press, 2001.
The Tonawanda Senecas' Historic Battle Against Removal by Hauptman
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In 196 pages, Hauptman chronicles the Towanda Senecas' fight to win back their tribal lands after a series of unfavorable treaties during the 19th century. These tactics included petitioning the Senate, lobbying, preventing surveyors from entering the lands, and hiring a lawyer to argue for them in the Supreme Court, resulting in a landmark 1857 new treaty allowing the Senecas the right to re-purchase their lands. Fascinating, because the overwhelming majority of stories of Native American tribes during westward expansion are sad ones. This provides a new perspective and could also be beneficial in a discussion on the many reasons why whites and indians didn't understand one another - and a good example of one tribe adjusting to the way of the whites.
Hauptman, Laurence M. The Tonawanda Senecas' Historic Battle Against Removal. Albany: University Press, 2011.
Hauptman, Laurence M. The Tonawanda Senecas' Historic Battle Against Removal. Albany: University Press, 2011.
The Politics of Indian Removal by Michael D. Green
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Drawing on a wide variety of primary sources, Green covers the Creek tribe from its loss of the Creek War 1814 to their removal to Oklahoma in 1836 particularly from the point of view of the Creek tribe's internal politics. Although it's academically rigorous, excerpts could be useful in providing a different viewpoint on negotiations with Native Americans during the first half of the 19th century. It would help show the Creek tribe's point of view as well as internal factors that may have contributed to their eventual removal. Definitely better for upper grades 9-12.
Green, Michael D. The Politics of Indian Removal: Creek Government and Society in Crisis. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1982.
Green, Michael D. The Politics of Indian Removal: Creek Government and Society in Crisis. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1982.
Journals
Examining the Westward Movement through a New Lens - The Donner Party
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In this article from the 2006 The Social Studies, the authors examine and assess a lesson plan on the Donner Party for its ability to overcome the fallacy of "presentism": understanding the past through the lens of the present. This article focuses mainly on the data analysis section of the lesson, but it includes a creative list of expansion ideas for further study. Probably best for 6-12 grades.
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Native American History in a Box - A New Approach to Teaching Native American Cultures
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Although geared towards middle and lower grades, this article from the 2010 The Social Studies is nonetheless useful at the very least in making a case for better and less stereotypical instruction of Native American Cultures in schools. the lessons aren't directly applicable to secondary education, but the overall concept of focusing on accurate Native American Education is stressed and valuable.
Helms, Emory C., Austin M. Hitt, Jason A. Schipper, and Adam M. Jones. "Native American History in a Box: A New Approach to Teaching Native American Cultures." The Social Studies 101 (2010): 160-165.
Helms, Emory C., Austin M. Hitt, Jason A. Schipper, and Adam M. Jones. "Native American History in a Box: A New Approach to Teaching Native American Cultures." The Social Studies 101 (2010): 160-165.
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Film
The West by Ken Burns
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PBS's acclaimed 1996 8-part documentary on the westward expansion movement spanning the Pre-Columbian era to 1914. It covers many important themes of the movement: from the expanding American nation, to the hardships of homesteaders of every ethnicity and religion, to the American government's treatment of the Native American tribes. In 12.5 hours of biographical stories and detailed documentation, the film achieves a, "delicate balance" between the the romantic idealism of American Pioneers and the tragic dispossession of the Native American Indian Tribes. (Amazon.com Editorial Review by Jeff Shannon). This series could be watched by episode or in smaller pieces to augment other activities. Either way, it provides an engaging, visual element to any study of Westward Expansion in the 19th century. Useful for any age group, and an asset to any classroom. Click on the title for the link.
"Westward the Course of Empire takes its Way" video analysis
This YouTube video presented by senior curator Richard Murray and Smithsonian Education provides a thorough but concise 4-minute walk-through of the mural by Emanuel Leutze. It would be ideal to play just after an activity where students analyze the mural itself for clues about Westward Expansion. Probably best for 7-12 grades, or in any lesson where picture analysis plays an important role.