LEARN NC

North Carolina History Digital Textbook Project

We have a story to tell: Native peoples of the Chesapeake region

From the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution

1.2 Lesson plan

This lesson for grades 9–12 primarily covers the period from the early 1600s to the present. Students explore how colonial settlement and the establishment of the United States affected the Native Americans of the Chesapeake region, especially the Powhatan, Nanticoke, and Piscataway peoples. Students will learn about the forces that resulted in the eradication of some tribes and how others survived. Students will also participate in small group projects to understand issues of critical importance to Chesapeake Native communities today. The lesson includes five sections:

  • Warm up: lesson overview and preliminary discussion of the Native peoples of the Chesapeake region
  • Map activity
  • Independent reading and class discussion
  • Small group project on critical contemporary issues, including group reports
  • Summary class discussions

Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • Compare data on historical and contemporary maps
  • Answer questions demonstrating awareness of the overwhelming social, political, cultural, and military forces challenging the Chesapeake tribes during the colonial era
  • Describe ways in which the Nanticoke, Powhatan, and Piscataway communities are working to keep their cultures alive
  • Articulate a verbal or written opinion about an issue related to the struggle for survival among contemporary Native communities of the Chesapeake region

Teacher planning

Time required for the lesson

2–3 class periods with additional time for independent reading and study by students

Materials provided

  • Historical and contemporary maps of the Chesapeake region
  • Reading texts
  • Primary resource materials
  • Warm-up, post-reading, and wrap-up questions
  • Small group activity instructions
  • List of additional resources

Procedure

  • Warm-up:

    • Familiarize yourself with the content of this edition: the overview for teachers, the readings on the Native peoples of the Chesapeake region, and the student projects.
    • Provide an overview of the lesson and a brief introduction to the Native cultures of the Chesapeake region prior to European arrival. This information is covered in the Introduction and the Resources for Educators sections. Use the five warm-up questions to facilitate the overview. Most students will probably not be able to answer these questions at this stage, but you can use them to illustrate what students will learn.
  • Map Activity:

    • Copy and distribute Map 1: Chesapeake Native Peoples, ca. 1610, and Map 2: Chesapeake Native Communities Today.
    • Compare the differences between tribal names and locations on the contemporary and the historical maps, in particular, changes in the number of tribes and the size of the territories.
    • On the map of Native communities today, find the locations of each of the Powhatan tribes of Virginia (Pamunkey, Mattaponi, Upper Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Nansemond, and Rappahannock), the Piscataway of Maryland, and the Nanticoke of Delaware.
    • Compare the historical map with a modern atlas of the region and locate contemporary cities, state boundaries, and so on.
    • If students live in the Chesapeake region, ask them to identify the Native community closest to their own.
  • Independent Reading:

    • Have students read the text entitled, “Native Peoples of the Chesapeake and the Enduring Effects of Colonialism.” Remind students to examine the primary resources provided with the text.
    • Class discussion using the post-reading discussion questions.
  • Small Group Project and Class Presentation — Issues of Survival for Native Communities of the Chesapeake Region:

    • Divide the class into small groups of two to four students each. Ensure that there are at least three groups, one for each research topic. All three topics should be covered so that all students will gain a more comprehensive understanding of issues faced by the communities. The research topics are: 1) The Effects of Treaty Making, 2) The Denial of Civil Rights, and 3) The Importance of Legal Recognition. Copy and distribute the instructions for the small group project to all students. Review the activity guidelines provided on the sheet.
    • Assign each group an issue to study. Provide copies of the appropriate resource pages for every student. Be sure to point out the location of the reading text, the text study questions, the list of research documents, and the primary resource images and questions. Key research documents can be found on the Education section of the National Museum of the American Indian website. Links to the documents are provided on the instructions page. Tell students that these materials provide key supplemental information and encourage them to find more. Ensure that students have access to the internet and library resources for additional research.
    • After students complete their projects, give each group about 15 minutes to present their issue and position to the class. Facilitate discussions following each presentation. Ask students to assess whether the group’s position was reasonable and well-defended. After all groups have reported, ask students to compare the positions taken by the groups and to identify similarities and differences.
    • Final discussion using the wrap-up discussion questions.
  • Optional activities:
    • Have students research the impact of European diseases on the Indians of the Chesapeake during the first 150 years following contact with Europeans.
    • Have students research the American Indian Movement (AIM) of the 1960s–70s, and how it generated a resurgence of Native American pride and heightened America’s awareness of Native American issues. Some Chesapeake Native people participated in these national political events. The PBS Alcatraz is Not an Island website provides an introduction to key AIM activities. Have students examine AIM activities such as the takeover of the Bureau of Indian Affairs building in Washington, D.C. (1972), and the Longest Walk (1978).