THE NAVAJO TREATY OF 1868
Why Was the Navajo Journey Home So Remarkable?

This online lesson provides Native perspectives, images, documents, and other sources to help students and teachers understand the remarkable nature of the Navajo Treaty of 1868 and why the Navajo maintained an unflinching resolve to return home. Scroll to begin an exploration of why the 1868 Treaty is an important symbol of Navajo sovereignty and its meaning to Navajo (Diné) people today.
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This online lesson provides Native perspectives, images, documents, and other sources to help students and teachers understand the remarkable nature of the Navajo Treaty of 1868 and why the Navajo maintained an unflinching resolve to return home. Scroll to begin an exploration of why the 1868 Treaty is an important symbol of Navajo sovereignty and its meaning to Navajo (Diné) people today.
Lesson Information
Lesson Information Right
Essential Understandings
Essential Understandings Right
Academic Standards
Academic Standards Right
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Lesson Information


Grades:

6–8

Nations:

Navajo (Diné)

Subjects:

Government & Civics, Geography, History, Social Studies

Key Words:

Navajo, Diné, Navajo Nation, removal, westward expansion, treaty, treaties, Navajo Treaty of 1868, Kit Carson, scorched earth campaign, Bosque Redondo, reservation, internment camp, assimilation, homelands, Fort Sumner, Long Walk, William T. Sherman, Samuel F. Tappan, Barboncito, Chief Barboncito, Manuelito, homelands, ancestral homelands, Four Corners

Regions:

North America, Southwest


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Lesson at a Glance
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Essential Understandings


Building on the ten themes of the National Council for the Social Studies' national curriculum standards, the NMAI's Essential Understandings reveal key concepts about the rich and diverse cultures, histories, and contemporary lives of Native peoples.
Framework for Essential Understandings about American Indians:
Select from these thematic key concepts to guide and focus instruction in your subject and content area.
This resource addresses the following Essential Understandings:
Essential Understanding 1:
American Indian Cultures:

Interactions with Europeans and Americans brought accelerated and often devastating changes to American Indian cultures.

Native People continue to fight to maintain the integrity and viability of indigenous societies. American Indian history is one of cultural persistence, creative adaptation, renewal, and resilience.

Essential Understanding 2:
Time, Continuity, and Change:

Hearing and understanding American Indian history from Indian perspectives provides an important point of view to the discussion of history and cultures in the Americas. Indian perspectives expand the social, political, and economic dialogue.

Essential Understanding 6:
Power, Authority, and Governance:

Today, tribal governments operate under self-chosen traditional or constitution-based governmental structures. Based on treaties, laws, and court decisions, they operate as sovereign nations within the United States, enacting and enforcing laws and managing judicial systems, social well-being, natural resources, and economic, educational, and other programs for their members. Tribal governments are also responsible for interactions with American federal, state, and municipal governments.

A variety of political, economic, legal, military, and social policies were used by Europeans and Americans to remove and relocate American Indians and to destroy their cultures. U.S. policies regarding American Indians were the result of major national debate. Many of these policies had a devastating effect on established American Indian governing principles and systems. Other policies sought to strengthen and restore tribal self-government.

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Academic Standards


Common Core State Standards
STAGE OF INQUIRY
6–8 Grades
Overarching Standards/Summative Performance Task

Anchor Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
Supporting Question 1

Anchor Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.BSupport claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
Supporting Question 2

Anchor Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.BSupport claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
Contemporary Connections

Anchor Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
College, Career & Civic Life–C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards
STAGE OF INQUIRY
STANDARDS
Overarching Standards/Summative Performance Task
D1.5.6-8
Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions, taking into consideration multiple points of views represented in the sources.
D4.1.6-8
Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the arguments.
Supporting Question 1
D2.Geo.6.6-8
Explain how the physical and human characteristics of places and regions are connected to human identities and cultures.
D2.His.13.6-8
Evaluate the relevancy and utility of a historical source based on information such as maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose.
Supporting Question 2
D2.Geo.6.6-8
Explain how the physical and human characteristics of places and regions are connected to human identities and cultures.
D2.Civ.3.6-8
Examine the origins, purposes, and impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements.
D4.1.6-8
Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the arguments.
Contemporary Connections
D4.7.6-8
Assess their individual and collective capacities to take action to address local, regional, and global problems, taking into account a range of possible levers of power, strategies, and potential outcomes.
D4.8.6-8
Apply a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions and take action in their classrooms and schools, and in out-of-school civic contexts.
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Why Was It Critical for the Navajo to Return Home?

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Consider the importance of ancestral homelands to the Navajo and the many ways in which they demonstrated a resolve to return home—in spite of efforts by United States to remove the Navajo from their homelands.
Teacher Instructions
Student Instructions

The Long Walk

Bosque Redondo

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How Did the Navajo’s Return Home Sustain Their Culture for Generations to Come?

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Leaders of nations must make incredibly difficult choices in extraordinary times—just as the Navajo did in 1868. Examine sources that demonstrate how the Navajo achieved success in their commitment to return home and sustain their culture.
Teacher Instructions
Student Instructions

The Navajo Treaty of 1868

Returning Home

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Why Was the Navajo Journey Home so Remarkable?

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Why was the Navajo journey home so remarkable? Construct an evidence-based argument that addresses why the Navajo experience that led up to the 1868 Treaty and the return to their homelands was so remarkable. Use the arrows to browse through the sources and then choose the “Add to Evidence Kit” button to add a source.
Teacher Instructions

Evidence Kit

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Navajo Nation Homelands Today

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See how the Navajo Nation continues to find ways to secure and sustain its homelands for future generations.
Teacher Instructions

Navajo Nation Land Purchase

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Related Resources

Resources for Students and Teachers
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Credits

The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) expresses gratitude to the people of the American Indian Nations whose histories, cultures, and contemporary lives are represented on these pages. The museum also thanks the following staff and other contributors for their work in the creation of these lessons:

Museum Director: Kevin Gover (Pawnee)

Associate Director for Museum Learning and Programs: Maria Marable-Bunch

Producer: Edwin Schupman (Muscogee), NMAI

Content Managers, Developers, and Lead Writers: Colleen Call Smith and MaryBeth Yerdon

Content Developer: Pam Woodis (Jicarilla Apache), NMAI

Reviewers:

Mark Hirsch, Ph.D., NMAI

Elayne Silversmith (Navajo), NMAI

Pam Woodis (Jicarilla Apache), NMAI

Audio:

Mark Christal, NMAI

Voice Talent:

Elayne Silversmith (Diné), NMAI

Web:

Laurie Swindull, NMAI

Cheryl Wilson, NMAI

Deanna Wood, NMAI

Editing:

Martha Davidson

Anne Litchfield

Rights and Permissions:

Wendy Hurlock-Baker, NMAI

Colleen Call Smith, NMAI

MaryBeth Yerdon, NMAI

Illustrations:

Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) - writer / colors
www.alter-native-media.com/

Maria Wolf Lopez - pencils / inks
@mariathewolf

Contract Management:

Vilma Ortiz-Sanchez, NMAI

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