Native American History

1400s to present

Introduction
Investigations
Create Your Own Story Activity
Social Media Editor
Outcomes

Primary Source Interactives

Iroquois Constitution

The Great Law of Peace's View of Women

Removal of the Cherokee Nation

Trail of Tears

Battle of the Little Bighorn

Who Knew It As General Custer's Land Stand?

Chief Joseph Leads Nez Perce

U.S. Military Forces Move to Reservation

Wounded Knee Massacre

Why Was It Reported as a Battle?

Indian Boarding Schools

Forced Assimilation

Navajo Code Talkers

World War II

Alaska Natives

Sovereignty and Subsistence

American Indian Movement and Civil Rights

Alcatraz and Second Wounded Knee

Native American Sports

Why Has The Debate Ensued For So Long

After leading the Nez Perce on an epic mission to freedom, Chief Joseph surrendered to the U.S. military on October 5, 1877, in Montana, just 40 miles south of the Canadian border. The surrender came after three months of outmaneuvering federal troops across 1,000 miles and four states. Chief Joseph made several trips to Washington D.C. in hopes of his people returning to their homeland to no avail. Instead, they were sent to live on a reservation hundreds of miles away.

Introduction Iroquois Constitution Cherokee Trail of Tears Sitting Bull and Battle of Little Bighorn Chief Joseph and Nez Perce Massacre at Wounded Knee Boarding Schools Navajo Code Talkers of World War II Alaska Native and Hawaiian Native Issues American Indian Movement and Civil Rights Sports Mascots Create Your Own Story Social Media Editor Outcomes

Directions:

Use the magnifier to take a look at the story recapping Chief Joseph’s journey with the Nez Perce. Locate the column on the left side of the paper, “Gossip of the Capital: Chief Joseph a Notable Figure in Washington and answer the following questions. See the Text Version below:

Newspaper article about Native American History Chief Joseph Nez Perce DV

“Gossip of the Capital,” April 1, 1900, New-York Tribune. Library of Congress

Questions





Annotate this Image

Directions: Take a look at this excerpt from Chief Joseph’s speech after he and his people surrendered.

Use the annotation tool to respond to the following questions:

  1. What reasons did Chief Joseph cite that led to his decision to surrender?
  2. Whose deaths did Chief Joseph specifically mention? Why might he have done so?
  3. What clues indicate that Chief Joseph is concerned about the future?
  4. Which statements appeal to the emotions of listeners? Explain.

Source: “Chief Joseph Surrenders” via Library of Congress’s Today in History blog feat. C. E. S. Wood’s “Chief Joseph, the Nez Perce” in The Century: a Popular Quarterly. vol. 28, no. 1 (May 1884): 135. Making of America.

Use the toggle button above to switch to Magnify Mode. Magnify mode will help you see finer detail in the image.
Switch back to Annotate Mode to create your annotations with click and drag.

Your Annotations

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Puzzler

Directions: Take a look at different sections of the drawing one by one and answer the questions that accompany each section. At the end, you will see the completed artwork.
 

Source: Library of Congress

Cropped Image 1

Describe what is happening in this scene.

Cropped Image 2

How would you describe the size of the army? How is the man leading them depicted?

Cropped Image 3

Describe the actions of the figures in this portion of the illustration.

Cropped Image 4

Describe the defensive position of the Nez Perce.

Cropped Image 5

Full Image: Is this image drawn from the perspective of the soldiers or the Nez Perce? How might that affect the reader’s perception of the event?

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Journalism Matters is part of the Teaching with Primary Sources Partner Program.
Supported by a grant from the Library of Congress