Introduction

Central Question: How did the life experiences of American settlers and Native Americans differ on the Great Plains in the late 1800s?

In the period following the Civil WarWar fought between the Union and Confederate states between 1861 - 1865, the population on the frontier increased dramatically. American settlers flocked westward in hopes of opportunity and financial gain. They established homesteads, built houses, and many became farmers. Life was difficult though. The weather was extreme and the soil conditions made planting difficult. Only the hardy survived.

While settlers were voluntarily moving westward, Native Americans were being displaced. Many that had been forced to relocate to the west during the Indian relocation of the 1830sThe Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced the relocation of Native Americans from the South to land in the West. now found themselves fending off would-be settlers. The onslaught of the settlement brought great change to the Native societies and forced them to adapt, once again, to the desires of the U.S. government and its people.

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Classify the lifestyle of the typical western farmer during the post-Civil War period.
  • Evaluate the effect western migration had on Native Americans, including the Dawes Act and other key battles.

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: US History 11 Objectives: 1, 1.1, 1.2, & 1.3.

This lesson incorporates the following Literacy Standards: R2, R9, W4, & W8.

Citations (left to right):

Dog Dance of the Dakotas by Seth Eastman IRC, 2005. Image. Discovery Education. Web. 23 January 2014. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>.

Apache Indian women, on horseback, no date. IRC, 2005. Image. Discovery Education. Web. 24 June 2014. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>.

 

 

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