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Chickasaws: The Unconquerable People lesson plan
Karla Smith, Biloxi, Mississippi
OVERVIEW
The Chickasaw Indians were considered to be the most fierce, warlike
American Indian tribe in Mississippi. Military expertise, proficient
diplomacy and cultural adaptation allowed the Chickasaw to survive in
an ever-changing world that surrounded them. But with the passage of
the Indian Removal Act in 1830, the Chickasaw were no longer in a position
to negotiate in order to protect their ancestral homeland in Mississippi.
By 1837, the Chickasaw would be forced to journey westward to Indian
Territory. The historical presence of this noble and brave tribe can
be seen through the names of local sites, towns and counties throughout
current day Mississippi.
CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
Mississippi Studies Framework: Competencies 1, 3 and 4.
TEACHING LEVELS
Grades 4 (with modifications) through 12.
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
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Mississippi History Now article |
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Pencil/Pen |
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Chalk and Chalkboard and/or overhead project and
transparency |
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Unlined paper for timelines |
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Notebook paper for chart and journal entries |
OBJECTIVES
Students will:
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Create a timeline on the history of
the Chickasaw tribe. |
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Determine the cause and effect of historical
events. |
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Explore the feeling and emotions of the Chickasaw
on the issue of Indian Removal through a student created composition. |
OPENING THE LESSON
The teacher will ask the students to imagine that oil has been discovered
in their neighborhood. Due to the need of this natural resource, the
people in their neighborhood are forced to move to another city. Ask
the students how they would feel about the “forced” move?
Explain to the students that the Chickasaw Indians as well as other
American Indians experienced similar circumstances in the 1800s. The
land that the American Indians occupied became a very valuable resource
to the United States.
DEVELOPING THE LESSON
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| Have the students construct
a timeline on the history of the Chickasaws. Allow the students
to work independently or with a partner on this portion
of the lesson. As the students read the Mississippi
History Now article, ask them to record the events
that occurred in the years listed below, on a sheet of paper.
After the students have determined all the events, ask them
to plot the events chronically, in a vertical or horizontal
format on a timeline. |
| 1540 |
1699 |
1720 |
1724 |
| 1725 |
1730 |
1739 |
1736 |
| 1763 |
1740 |
1798 |
1795 |
| 1830 |
1832 |
1829 |
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After the students have completed
their timelines, ask them questions about the events they
plotted on their timelines. |
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Allow the students to work with partners for this portion
of the lesson. Ask the students to copy the following chart
on a sheet of paper. The chart can be displayed on an overhead
transparency or a chalkboard. The teacher can also duplicate
the chart for each group if preferred. The students should
use the Mississippi History Now article to determine
a cause and effect for each situation listed. The cause
and effect should be listed in the appropriate columns on
the chart. After the students have completed the chart,
the teacher can solicit for student volunteers to share
their answers with the class. The teacher can list student
responses on the teacher-made chart displayed on the overhead
or the chalkboard. |
| Cause |
Event |
Effect |
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The Chickasaw were
known as a fierce American Indian tribe. |
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The Chickasaws took
members of the Choctaw tribe as captives. |
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The Chickasaws established
a strong alliance with the British. |
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The Chickasaws granted
the Natchez Indians refuge. |
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The Mississippi Territory
was formed in 1798. |
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The Chickasaw underwent
cultural and economic changes in the 1800s. |
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The Indian Removal
Act was approved by Congress in 1830. |
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|
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Have the students work independently
on this portion of the assignment. Have each student compose a
journal entry that may have been written by a Chickasaw Indian
in the 1830s. The journal entry should address the issue of Indian
removal to the West and the loss of the Chickasaw homeland in
Mississippi. The students should reflect on feelings and emotions
the Chickasaw may have felt about this relocation. Allow the students
to move into groups of four and read their journal entries to
their group members. Have each group choose one of the journal
entries from the group to be read to the class. |
CLOSING THE LESSON
Allow each group to read their selected paragraphs to the class. After
the reading of the paragraphs, ask to the students to speculation on
the justification of the removal.
ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING
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Timelines |
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Charts |
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Class participation |
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Journal entries |
EXTENDING THE LESSON
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Students can analyze treaties negotiated
between the Chickasaws and the United States government. |
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Students can create a dramatization
of one of the events on their timeline. |
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Students can research the culture of
the Chickasaw and make a diorama, model or artifact that represents
the Chickasaw culture. |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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Mississippi History On Loan, a service
offered by the Museum Division of the Mississippi Department of
Archives and History, has several videos that might be appropriate
for this lesson. Videos listed in its catalog are available free
of charge to Mississippi public schools and to eligible private
schools. Complete the required form (if you do not have one, call
601-961-4724 and ask the audiovisual coordinator to mail one to
you). Mail the completed form to: Mississippi History On Loan, Manship House Museum, 420 East Fortification
street, Jackson, Mississippi 39202-2340. You can search the catalog
at: http://teacherexchange.mde.k12.ms.us/
new/Announcements/History_on_Loan.htm |
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Access information concerning the
Old Capitol Museum’s School Outreach Program at the Mississippi
Department of Archives and History’s web site (www.mdah.state.ms.us).
The Museum has available to school teachers in Mississippi, traveling
trunks on various Mississippi history topics. They have available
the American Indian traveling trunk. This trunk contains information
that contains a binder of suggested lesson plans and associated
activities for a 5-day teaching unit. The music, dance, games
and origins of American Indian groups such as the Chickasaw are
in the trunk, including an audiocassette of Chickasaw social songs and a
turtle shell rattle. Numerous other
artifacts are also included in order to enhance the learning experience.
A video on “Tribes of the Southeast” provides an overview
of American Indian cultures from this region and is included in this kit.
Books, coloring books, pamphlets, and recipes included in the
trunk also provide additional information on the Chickasaw as
well as other native Mississippi tribes. |
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