PRINT RESOURCES:

 

     Available through WCLS

 

A Balancing Act : a look at checks and balances / by Kathiann M. Kowalski.

Simple guide to Checks and Balances.  Written at an elementary level.  Reviewed by Horn Book

 

Broken promises : the U.S. government and Native Americans in the 19th century / Mike Wilson. 

Includes a chapter on the Trail of Tears.  Written at an elementary level.

 

The Cherokee and their history / by Mary Englar

From the well-reviewed series We the People. This is written for grades 3-5, but might be of interest, especially to students with a lower reading level. A well-illustrated and concise history.

 

The Cherokee removal : A brief history with documents / Theda Perdue, Michael D. Green

Primary Source

The Cherokee Removal of 1838–1839 unfolded against a complex backdrop of competing ideologies, self-interest, party politics, altruism, and ambition. Using documents that convey Cherokee voices, government policy, and white citizens’ views, Theda Perdue and Michael D. Green present a multifaceted account of this complicated moment in American history. [...] this successful, class-tested volume contains four new sources, including the Cherokee Constitution of 1827 and a modern Cherokee’s perspective on the removal. The introduction provides students with succinct historical background. To aid students’ investigation of this compelling topic, suggestions for further reading, photographs, and a chronology of the Cherokee removal are also included. - publisher's description

 This book is intended for older readers, but could be a good source for primary documents.

 

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia : the forced removal of a people / by Nathan Aaseng. Famous Trials series. 

Describes the attempts to protect the rights of Cherokees living in Georgia beginning in the colonial period, including the landmark Supreme Court cases, Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia, and Worcester vs. Georgia. Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Review excerpt (Horn Book Guide): "Beginning with a thorough historical grounding for each case, these books clearly explain the legal issues while using primary and secondary sources to report each trial impartially. Sidebars add dimension to the trials' major figures, and small black-and-white photos add immediacy. Credible interpretations of the trials' long-term effects make these especially valuable resources." 

 

Native Americans and the U.S. government / Martha Blakely.

Written at an elementary level.

 

The Relocation of the North American Indian / Don Nardo

Discusses the forced relocation of American Indian tribes by the American government, resulting in tribal warfare, broken treaties, and the brutal march known as The Trail of Tears. Recommended age: middle school. 

Review excerpt from Booklist (2002): "These two titles from the History of the World series offer basic introductory information suitable for middle-school report writers. Both titles make use of relatively large print, short chapters with section headings, and frequent, crisp, mostly color illustrations." 

 

The Trail of Tears / D.L. Birchfield (2004). Landmark events in American history series.

Describes the history of the five tribes of Southeastern America, the Cherokee, Chicksaw, Choctoaw, Creek, and Seminole, especially their forcible removal in the 19th century to the Great Plains. Recommended for grades 4-7. 

Review excerpt (School Library Journal, 2004): "Five chapters in each slim book present the developments leading up to and including the featured event. For example, Trail of Tears discusses the arrival of Europeans and the U.S. determination to acquire new territory that led to the forcible removal of Native peoples from their land. [...]Succinctly written texts, interspersed with copious black-and-white and color photos, drawings, reproductions, maps, and newspaper illustrations, will keep interest piqued. Each book includes boxed period quotes by participants in or witnesses to the events. [...] ...these accessible titles will appeal to reluctant readers and be useful for reports."

 

The Trail of tears : the story of the Cherokee removal / by Dan Elish

Primary Source

Begins with the Cherokees' encounter with European explorers, discusses their experiences with the American government, and gives information on their forced removal from Georgia. Personal narratives from both government officials and Native people are woven throughout the book, offering opposing perspectives on this major event in American history. Archival images and maps add interest. Recommended for grades 5-9. 

 

Voices from the Trail of Tears / edited by Vicki Rozema

Primary Source

Provides a collection of letters, military records, journal excerpts, and other firsthand accounts documenting the fate of the Cherokee Indians after the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Vicki Rozema draws from letters, military records, physicians' records, and journal excerpts to provide insight into what actually happened during this period. Through these primary sources, which are presented in chronological order, the book follows the feuding within the Cherokee ranks about whether to accept the white man's ultimatum, and if so, how it should be implemented. 

This book is intended for older readers, but could be a good source for primary documents.

 

 

     Non WCLS Resources

 

Cherokee Editor: The Writings of Elias Boudinot / by Elias Boudinot

Primary Source

Available from Amazon.com or WorldCat (WWU has it).

Elias Boudinot was the editor of the Cherokee newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix. This book includes examples of his writing in the Phoenix as well as articles he wrote for other publications. Book level: Adult, but a good source for primary documents. 

 

The Empire state of the South : Georgia history in documents and essays / edited by Christopher C. Meyers

Primary Source

This book is available on WorldCat (WWU has it) or Amazon.com.

Chapter 4, The Native American Nations, includes ten pages of primary documents and essays: The Compact of 1802; Treaty of Fort Jackson; An Address to the Whites by Elias Boudinot; Georgia Assumes Control Over Cherokee Land; Worcester vs. State of Georgia; Treaty of New Echota; Georgia and Muscogee/Creek Treaties (essay), and The Cherokee Trail of Tears (essay). Book level: Adult, but a good source for primary documents.

 

Native American Rights /by Uma Kukathas (Editor)

Includes Primary Resources

Includes primary and secondary source documents (court decisions and dissenting opinions, journal articles, etc.) to look at different sides of the issues of Native American rights and sovereignty.    Contains several chapters on  Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia. Geared for grades 10-12.  Library Media Connection Reviewed it positively.  Hornbook warned that "dense text blocks and legal jargon are tough to slog through".

 

Red Power: The Native American Civil Rights Movement / by Troy R. Johnson (Author), Paul C. Rosier (Editor)

Written for grades 6 and up, well reviewed by School Library Journal, includes information on the Trail of Tears.

Not to be confused with a book we have at WCLS with a similar title written ten years earlier.

 

 

DVD/CD-ROM RESOURCES

 

The Trail of Tears : Cherokee legacy

Documents the forced removal in 1838 of the Cherokee Nation from the southeastern United States to Oklahoma. Shows the suffering endured by the Cherokees as they lost their land and the difficult conditions they endured on the trail. Describes how thousands of Cherokees died during the Trail of Tears, nearly a quarter of the nation, including most of their children and elders.

  Teacher will probably want to preview this before showing it to the kids.

 

We Shall Remain : Episode 3, Trail of Tears  from PBS The American Experience

This film is a dramatization of the events before and during the Cherokee removal. The full film is available to watch online, or the DVD may be purchased here (includes all episodes of this outstanding series). There is also a companion curriculum guide, available online and in PDF for printing. The content appears to be suitable for either high school or middle school.

 

 

ONLINE RESOURCES

 

     Premium Digital Resources (must have WCLS card to access)

 

WCLS History page

For databases that include biographical information for students.  From that page you can also find the History Resource Center database.

http://www.wcls.org/content/view/256/398/

 

History Resource Center

Articles on Worcester v. Georgia

http://ezproxy.wcls.org:2048/login?url=http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/wcls_main?db=HISTRC

Summarizes the ruling and shows how President Jackson refused to acknowledge the courts power to check his authority.  10th grade reading level.  Search for "Worcester v. Georgia".

 

     General 

 

A Brief History of the Trail of Tears

http://www.cherokee.org/Culture/58/Page/default.aspx

Nice, succinct summary of the events leading to the Trail of Tears migration with links to more information.  The writing is at about a high school level, however.

 

Chart of Checks and Balances

http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/Lesson_13_Notes.htm 

A simple chart explains the idea behind "checks and balances."

 

The Cherokee Heritage Center

Primary Source

This is a site worth exploring. It has some historical documents and photographs, many of which are post Indian Removal Act. The navigation of the site could be better.

 

Cherokee Letter Protesting the Treaty of New Echota-PBS

Primary Source

Letter from Chief John Ross, "To the Senate and House of Representatives"

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h3083t.html

 

The Cherokee Phoenix, full text online (selected issues)

Primary Source

Western Carolina University's Hunter Library has begun a project to digitize the full text of the Cherokee Phoenix and make it available online. So far, you can access all issues up to September 18, 1830.

 

Cherokee Removal Lesson Plan from Lincoln/Net

Includes Primary Resource Excerpts

This looks like it was designed more for a high school level, but provides some interesting ideas. 

 

Cherokee.org

Primary Source

This is the official Web site of the Cherokee Nation. It has an excellent history section which includes well-written, concise narrative, and contains the full, unedited text of some historical documents and letters. If you click on the small print icon on a page of interest, the text appears in an easily printable format.  The writing is at about a high school level.

 

Digital History

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display_printable.cfm?HHID=638

Printable, concise description and analysis of the events surrounding the Indian Removal Act, including a brief discussion of U.S. politics at the time.

 

Indian Removal Act: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs and Services, Library of Congress)

Primary Source

Contains links to maps, primary documents (including House and Senate documents), and other sources.

 

Indian Removal 1814-1858 from PBS

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html

A clearly written summary of the legal action taken by President Jackson to remove the Native Americans from the Southeastern United States and the Cherokees attempts to legally remain in their homeland.

 

Interactive History of the Cherokee treaties

Primary Source

Created by Michigan State University in partnership with representatives from the Cherokee Nation, this online "book" contains easily readable text, embedded video, and photographs. It is in Adobe Flash format, and so may not work on every computer.

 

National Park Service Trail of Tears Website

http://www.nps.gov/trte/historyculture/stories.htm

This website briefly and succinctly lays out some of the legal actions that led up to the Trail of Tears, including the Federal Indian Removal Act and the Treaty of New Echota.

 

Ms. Koupal's Checks and Balances Webquest

http://www.teacherwebquest.com/SD/9thGradeAcademy/ChecksandBalances/h5.stm

This 9th grade teacher created a Checks and Balances Webquest that begins with simple information about checks and balances and then relates checks and balances to specific episodes in US History, including the Trail of Tears.  She asks questions that get at the controversy.  Unfortunately, her link to Trail of Tears information is now broken.  The correct link is http://ngeorgia.com/history/nghisttt.html .

 

President Andrew Jackson's Message to Congress 'On Indian Removal' (1830) from OurDocuments.gov

Primary Source

This site shows you a scan of the original document-wonderful but very hard to read.  Take a look at the buttons on the right and select "document transcript" for a readable version.

 

Text of the Indian Removal Act from Civics Online

Primary Source

 

Trail of Tears Association Website

http://www.nationaltota.org/

Click on the "Story" link to read a brief history of the Trail of Tears.

 

Worcester vs Georgia

Primary Source 

http://www.civics-online.org/library/formatted/texts/worcester.html

The original text of the Supreme Court decision that President Jackson refused to enforce, thus ignoring the system of Checks and Balances.

 

 

GENERAL RESOURCES

 

Available through WCLS

 

Atlas of the North American Indian/ by Carl Waldman (Author), Molly Braun (Illustrator)

Recommended as a general resource on history of Native Americans by Booklist.  This was not written with a school-aged audience in mind, but maps may be engaging.

 

Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes/ by Carl Waldman (Author), Molly Braun (Illustrator)

School Library Journal highly recommends this source.  "Grade 5 Up-A splendid revision. While not exhaustive, this volume provides an examination of more than 150 groups of Native American peoples."

 

     Non WCLS Resources

 

Student Almanac of Native American History: Two Volumes] (Middle School Reference)

Volume 1:

http://www.amazon.com/Student-Almanac-Native-American-History/dp/0313325995/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242708842&sr=8-1

 

Volume 2:-Covering 1492 to the present

http://www.amazon.com/Student-Almanac-African-American-History/dp/0313325960/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242709211&sr=1-1

 

This comes very well reviewed by several sources.  "[W]ill appear to better readers in fourth and fifth grade, as well as middle school students,...[s]hould help students decide where to move forward with more in-depth research."—Gle Reference for Students September 2003 http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/MS2599.aspx