Recognize Perspectives
Indian Removal Act Debate
History- November 2017 In my AP United States History class, we held a mock trial arguing the different sides to the Indian Removal Act. Different members of the class were assigned different backgrounds to argue- Jefferson and government or Native Americans. I argued on the side of the Native Americans and the rights they had to their land. This activity fits with the theme Recognize Perspectives because both sides were able to hear opposing arguments and the basis behind them. This debate required that some people go outside their comfort zones and argue something they did not believe, such as Jackson taking away rights and land away from Native Americans for capitalistic and nationalistic gain. This assignment works to answer my overarching question about the assimilation of Native Americans because the Indian Removal Act was a significant event in relation to the assimilation of Native Americans in reservations and in boarding schools. |
"Superman and Me"
English- January 2018 Alexie, Sherman. Superman and Me. Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 1998. 11th ed.McGraw-Hill, 2011. In English we read, annotated, and discussed this excerpt about the Native American author Sherman Alexie's experience learning to read an his experience growing up on a reservation. He revealed the importance of education and the impact that reading and writing has on Native Americans living in reservations. This reading fits under the pillar of Recognize Perspectives because we were able to understand from the perspective of a Native American with firsthand experience what reservation life is like. This assignment helps to answer my question as well because it reveals how the assimilation of Native Americans into American society undermines their self-determination as students in reservation schools are not motivated to become educated and live outside their reservation. |
"Pocahontas Paradox"
English- February 2018 Pewewardy, Cornel. "The Pocahontas Paradox: A Cautionary Tale for Educators." Journal of Navajo Education, Fall/Winter 1996/97. In this assignment, we read and discussed different articles examining the Native American portrayal in Disney's Peter Pan. In a couple of the articles, we read a perspective that the representation of Native Americans in the film was meant to be taken lightly and as a joke, and that because it is a made up story it does not hold any real stereotypes. Other articles advocating for a better portrayal of Native Americans argue that their culture is being grossly misinterpreted in the media and stereotypes are being upheld. This assignment fits under the pillar of Recognize Perspectives because we analyzed different perspectives over the same topic of how Native Americans are being portrayed in the media. In this instance, the only perspective that should matter is that of the Native Americans who are being misrepresented. This assignment can be used to answer my overarching question by showing how mainstream media has created their own interpretation of Native culture and used it to increase popularity of films such as Peter Pan, therefore undermining Native American culture for what it really is. |
The Dawes Act
History- February In History, we studied the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 in which the United States government surveyed Native American land and take control of the allotment back to Native Americans. This act took away the tribal and communal rights of Native Americans in an effort to begin assimilation into American society. Land taken away from Native Americans was sold to white settlers, none of the profit given to the Natives, and European ideas of land ownership and subsistence farming were forced upon the Native's way of life. Learning about this act fits under the pillar of Recognize Perspectives because we are not traditionally taught the two different perspectives of this event, which is crucial to gain full understanding of its severity. White settlers and the American government viewed this government act as a necessity to the prosperity of the white majority population, while Native Americans saw it as an attack on their rights and culture. Analyzing this act can be used to support my question regarding the assimilation of Native Americans and how it has affected their culture and self determination because it is a significant moment in the beginning of the United State's effort to assimilate them into mainstream culture. By stripping away tribal community and culture ties, the U.S. severly impacts the life of every Native American because a loss of identity results in a loss of self determination. |