Indigenous Research Scavenger Hunt, Due Sunday, February 11th at midnight

Discovery Page: Indigenous History Research Activity

Time Limit: 3 hours:  MAKE SURE TO MANAGE YOUR TIME SO THAT YOU WORK ON EACH QUESTION. YOU MUST SHOW EFFORT IN ALL SECTIONS TO EARN FULL CREDIT.

Academic research requires you to think critically about the resources that you discover. In historical research, it is important to review both primary and secondary sources. Each provides different content. When we research various groups, it is also important to seek out evidence from within those cultures rather than relying solely on secondary resources and the voices/perspectives of those outside of the cultures. This scavenger hunt will introduce you to reliable online resources, such as the National Archives. You will also be challenged to think about what online content is reliable. What lenses must you consider when you are evaluating content on Indigenous history? What resources speak to the voices of those within these various cultures?

For each of the following prompts, conduct your research, answer the questions, and copy any online images with proper MLA references to your sources. You must submit your work online.

1.      Find the actual Treaty referenced in Foner's article as: ?as long as the grass shall grow?.

a.      What does "as long as the grass shall grow" actually mean?

b.      What is the actual name of the specific treaty referenced by Foner's article?

c.       What do the authors of the treaty seek to accomplish by identifying the head of a family or lodge?

d.      What does the treaty say each head of household should receive if they so desire to make "improvements" to the land?

e.      Describe what the treaty says is necessary to ensure ?the civilization of the Indians entering into this treaty?.

2.      Locate a website that is controlled by a North American tribe or council that discusses Sitting Bull. Answer the following questions:

a.      How do you know it is a reputable site?

b.      How does the site address Sitting Bull?

c.       Was it challenging to find a site that is controlled by a tribe or nation?

3.      Go to the National Archives and search the catalog for an advertisement for the land rush of 1880. (Keep in mind that sometimes you must use specific terms or phrases to locate specific content.) Copy the image or describe it in written form and include the web address.

4.      Find a newspaper article about the Wounded Knee massacre that is a primary source. Read it and describe the content and position/perspective of the writer on the event. (include a link to your source)                                           

5.      Identify an image of the Carlisle School from the Library of Congress. Copy and paste it. Next, describe the context of the image.

6.      What was the specific issue decided in Elk v. Wilkins (1884)? In your own words, explain the facts of the case and what the Court decided.

7.      Use the GCC Library catalog and databases to locate an online book or an academic article on Indigenous history that was also authored by someone within a tribe or nation. You do not need to check out the book or read the entire article. Instead, review the introduction. If you choose a book, check out the Contents page. Flip through the pages.

a.      Explain the premise of the book or article.

b.      Take a look at the subjects associated with the book or article. Are there links to larger subject matter searches?