United States History Student Edition

04

INQUIRY ACTIVITY

FLORIDA BENCHMARKS

Multiple Perspectives: Views on Native American Removal ? COMPELLING QUESTION

• SS.8.A.4.4 • SS.8.A.4.16 • SS.8.A.4.18

• SS.8.A.1.6 • SS.8.A.1.7 • SS.8.A.4.1 • SS.8.A.4.3

• SS.8.A.1.1 • SS.8.A.1.3 • SS.8.A.1.4 • SS.8.A.1.5

Is the forced movement of people ever justified?

Plan Your Inquiry DEVELOPING QUESTIONS

Background Information The U.S. government’s removal of the Cherokee from Georgia and surrounding areas involved many people. Among these were 15,000 people who were forced to vacate their homes and abandon their possessions and ways of life. The sources in this lesson include photographs, letters, eyewitness reports, and other documents reflecting various perspectives on the implementation and effects of the Indian Removal Act.

Think about people being forced to leave their homes and the challenges they faced. Then read the Compelling Question for this lesson. What questions can you ask to help you answer this Compelling Question? Create a graphic organizer like the one below. Write these Supporting Questions in your graphic organizer.

What this source tells me about the forced movement of people

Questions the source leaves unanswered

Supporting Questions

Primary Source

A B C D E F G

ANALYZING SOURCES Next, examine the primary sources in this lesson. Analyze each source by answering the questions that follow it. How does each source help you answer each Supporting Question you created? What questions do you still have? Write these in your graphic organizer.

A sign marks the route of the Trail of Tears at the Pea Ridge National Military Park in Garfield, Arkansas.

After you analyze the sources, you will: • use the evidence from the sources • communicate your conclusions • take informed action

Terry Smith Images/Alamy Stock Photo

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