Changes in Plains Indians' way of life, 1862-76

IMPORTANT: Some of these activities refer to the textbook “Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History, The American West, c1835-c1895” (editor Leonard A. and published by Pearson) ISBN 9781292127309 and will not be usable without a copy of this text.

This Edexcel 9-1 GCSE unit covers around 4 lessons depending upon your class and their overall ability/work rate.

Aims and Objectives:

Specification area: Changes in the way of life of the Plains Indians, 1862-76

• To understand the impact of railroads, the cattle industry and gold prospecting on the Plains Indians.
• To understand the impact of US government policy towards the Plains Indians, including the continued use of reservations. President Grant’s ‘Peace Policy’, 1868.
• To understand the conflict with the Plains Indians: Little Crow’s War (1862), and the Sand Creek Massacre (1864), the significance of Red Cloud’s War (1866-68) and the Fort Laramie Treaty (1868).

The Power Point leads students through all activities with accompanying resources. It also provides feedback at intervals. Activities include a card sort on the impact of changes upon Plains Indians’ lives, paired/group discussions on options open to Plains Indians, analysis of Grant’s “Peace Policy” (positive and negative), chronological event ordering, a summary/revision table on the Plains Wars, an 8 mark narrative account exam question on the Indian Wars with support.