Instructions
Before our next class, read the brief document called "Dawes Act Materials." As you'll see, these documents deal with government attempts to "solve" the "Indian problem" in the late nineteenth century.
Then, you will be watching about 35 minutes of a PBS documentary film about the Carlisle Indian School. In it, you’ll encounter the historical circumstances, racial ideologies, and assimilationist
beliefs that motivated the school. You’ll also get a sense of how Indian students responded to
this exercise in forced assimilation—the obstacles they faced, the internal struggles they
suffered through, and the painful changes they were forced to make. The film showcases the
numerous ways in which beliefs about racial identity, citizenship, gender, religion, and civilization were intertwined, and suggests important ways in which these beliefs were embedded in
American society. Start watching the film at about the 20:25 minute mark:
Discussion Prompt:
1) What do the readings and the film reveal about the qualities that made someone an
“ideal American” at the turn of the century? Identify 5 specific attributes that constituted an
“appropriate” identity according to hegemonic norms.
2) How should we view Richard Pratt? In 4-5 sentences, identify your perspective on how Pratt
and his efforts should be remembered in American history.