To better understand the Indian Removal Act of 1830, class members examine primary source documents including letters written by Alabama governors and the Cherokee chiefs. The instructional activity is part of a unit on the expansion of the United States in the 1800s.

Concepts

the indian removal act, westward expansion, manifest destiny, native americans

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Expand the study and have class members investigate The Trail of Tears
• Connect to a language arts unit on Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee or another historical novel

Classroom Considerations

• Although designed for honors level or AP US history classes, the resource would be appropriate for most classes with slight modifications
• The lesson assumes class members have previous knowledge of the Native American tribes in the Southeast and the massacre at Fort Mims
• A similar lesson designed for non-AP level classes is linked below

Pros

• The resource introduces the APPARTS strategy that may be used to analyze primary sources and to respond to a Document Based Question (DBQ)
• The eight-page resource includes background information for instructors, links to the primary source documents and related materials, an AP-style DBQ prompt, and the essay rubric

Cons

• Sample scored essays are not included

Common Core

RI.9-10.1 RI.11-12.1 RH.9-10.1 RH.11-12.1