Indian Land Tenure Curriculum > 6-8 Curriculum > Standard 2 > Lesson 5

Achievement Goal: Learn the motivations and beliefs behind the passage of the Dawes Act and the allotment of Indian Lands.

Time: Two class periods

Core: History, Civics/Government, Geography

This lesson relies heavily on two lesson plans found online. The first lesson, “Maps of Indian Territory, the Dawes Act, and Will Rogers’ Enrollment Case File”, is available through the National Archives. The lesson seeks to teach students about the impact of allotment on the lands of the Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma using primary documents and maps. The second lesson, “The Dawes Act,” is made available by Nebraskastudies.org, a partnership between the Nebraska Department of Education, the Nebraska State Historical Society, and Nebraska Educational Telecommunications. The lesson teaches students about the idealism and motivation behind the Dawes act and the reaction of Indian peoples to the carving-up of their lands. In doing so, the lesson also teaches students how to think critically and analyze primary resources.

Preparation:

• This lesson relies heavily upon the complete lesson plans available through the National Archives and Nebraskastudies.org. The instructor should carefully review the “Maps of Indian Territory , the Dawes Act, and Will Rogers’ Enrollment Case File” at http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/federal_indian_policy/federal_indian_policy.html . The “Dawes Act” lesson plan is found at http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0600/resources/0600_1020.html .
• Internet access for students is necessary for these lesson plans.

Student Activities

• See the complete lesson plans for student activities.

Evaluation:

• See the complete lesson plans for lesson goals and methods of evaluation.

Resources:

• “Maps of Indian Territory , the Dawes Act, and Will Rogers Enrollment Case File”, US National Archives and Records Administration, Digital Classroom, http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/federal_indian_policy/federal_indian_policy.html
• “The Dawes Act”, Nebraskastudies.org, http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0600/frameset_reset.html?http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0600/resources/0600_1020.html