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Ten Thousand Voices:  The Carlisle Indian Industrial School

In the decades following the Civil War, industrialization and expanding transportation opened the floodgates of immigration, spurred westward expansion, and brought migrating white settlers and native populations into direct conflict.  Moving to protect their investment, the federal government waged war against targeted “hostile” tribes. Meanwhile, progressives were formulating another solution to the “Indian problem.”  Thus Central Pennsylvania became host to one of the most significant social experiments in world history.  You will “visit” the school through the diverse experiences of more than 10,000 students who attended the institution during a forty-year program of forced assimilation.

 

 


Essential Questions:

Why did Americans move to the Great Plains?
How did the US deal with Native Americans on the Plains?
Why did Americans receive a distorted view of life on the Plains?
What is culture?  How does culture change? 
Why does our lack of knowledge of Native Americans affect our opinion of their plight?
How did the reeducation system destroy culture and supplant the ways of the dominant system?
How did Westward Expansion impact the growth of the United States?
What were some characteristics of the lifestyle of the Plains Indians?
How was the buffalo an important aspect of Native American life?
How did the roles of men and women differ in Plains Indian society?
How did the Transcontinental Railroad help to develop the west?
How were the Native Americans treated by the United States government?
How did the expansion of settlers affect Native Americans?
Why did reformers fail?

History Standards:   8.1 A,B,C,D   8.2.12 A,B,C,D   8.3.6 A,B,C,D  8.3.12 A, B,C,D    Reading Standards: 1.1.5.A,G 1.2.A 1.3.A,F 1.6.A,B,D,E

 

“Every time you come in I learn something new each time. You are an amazing speaker and never once am I bored when you talk.  The best part is always the dressing up or acting like someone back in that time period. Hopefully I get to see you do more presentations in the future because I thoroughly enjoy it.”                                                                     
         Emily G.