Students explore the transformation of North America in the nineteenth century and probe this complicated and violent history, considering the major events and policies that accompanied U.S. territorial growth and the effects at a local level.
With this video and graphic organizer, students learn about the concept of settler colonialism, examine the history of U.S. settler colonialism, and explore the primary methods through which the United States displaced Native Americans from their lands.
Objectives
Students will:
- Define “settler colonialism”
- Examine U.S. warfare and violence to conquer Native American lands
- Explore how the United States used treaties—and violations of those treaties—to acquire Native American lands
- Examine the role of U.S. “Indian Removal” programs in colonizing Native American lands
- Consider what it means to acknowledge that U.S. settler colonialism—and resistance to U.S. settler colonialism—is ongoing today
Recommended Reading
Though this lesson can be completed as a stand-alone activity, the following curriculum units provide additional context on the history of settler colonialism: