How did U.S. expansion affect Native American communities?

Guiding Questions

• How did the acquisition of new territories impact the nation’s growth and development?
• How did westward expansion impact Native American tribes, and what were the consequences of these interactions?

Objectives

• Students will describe how U.S. expansion affected Native American communities.
• Students will analyze primary sources to explain the consequences of westward expansion.

Student Resources:

• Trail of Tears: Stations Response Sheet Handout

Teacher Resources:

• Trail of Tears Stations – Teacher Resource
  • Printed primary source excerpts for each station

Facilitation Notes

There are four stations for this lesson. In a large class, teachers may want to make two or three sets of stations to facilitate smaller groups. Hang the station’s primary sources ahead of time or set them up at tables.