Original PromptImpacts on Native Americans
• Reservation System
• Broken treaties and Plains Indian Wars
• Dawes Severalty Act (1887)
• Analyze Native American effortsto protect tribal rights and
culture as the United States admitted new territories and
states in the west.
• Analyze the impacts of the reservation system in the
Indian Appropriations Acts (1871), broken treaties, and
American Indian Wars (e.g., Sand Creek Massacre
(1864), Little Bighorn (1876), Wounded Knee Massacre
(1890), etc.) resulting from
This instructional guide focuses on the experiences of Native Americans during the westward expansion of the United States in the 19th century. Aimed at 11th-grade students, the guide outlines key aspects of Native American life before and after 1870, including the transition to reservations, the decline of buffalo populations, and the impact of the railroad. It includes essential questions, learning targets, and detailed activities such as mapping legislative acts alongside resistance movements. The guide emphasizes historical events like the Sand Creek Massacre, the Battle of Little Bighorn, and the Dawes Act, highlighting their long-term effects on tribal lands and cultures. Students will engage in discussions, critical analysis, and reflections on modern tribal sovereignty, strengthening their understanding of the consequences of westward expansion on Native American communities.