Anderson Publishing Company, George Wharton James, Alan H Burgoyne, and Elmore Elliott Peake. Atlas of Doniphan County, Kansas: Containing maps of townships of the county, maps of state, United States and world: Farmers directory, analysis of the system of U.S. land surveys. c. 1927. Map. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2007626805/.
During the semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, students will reflect on the importance of compromise, much as how the Declaration of Independence is one of the greatest examples of compromise. Dozens of changes were made by the Founding Fathers to the original draft by Thomas Jefferson. Students will address the compromise process by learning about the Idaho state border, how it was determined through various proposals by people far removed from the state, discuss the impact such decisions have on remote areas like Idaho, roleplay various border-creating scenarios, and then connect examples of compromise they see in their current personal, social, and political circumstances.
Idaho provides one of the most unique borders of all the states in the country. Its history involves a great deal of happenstance, political ambition, and decision making by politicians completely unaware of life in Idaho.
Source: https://www.idahomagazine.com/article/inventing-idaho/;
- Looking at the 1927 Idaho map, why do you think the Idaho border is the way it is?
- Is there any logical reason for its shape?
- Are there any changes you would make?
- Why do borders matter, and how does the history of Idaho’s border demonstrate the element of arbitrariness in compromise?
ELA Standard
CCCS: 6th Grade Oral Communications (OC). 1. Engage in collaborative discussions about grade-level topics and texts with peers by carrying out assigned roles; making comments and posing and responding to questions that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on others’ remarks; and reviewing key ideas expressed and drawing conclusions considering the discussion.
Social Studies Standard
6-12 United States History: Geography Skills 6-9.WG.6.2. Explain and use the components of maps, compare different map projections, and explain the appropriate uses for each.
Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
- Ask students to look at the map of Idaho (Image 82) and explain why they think it was shaped the way it is. (You may want to include maps of the states bordering Idaho.)
- Invite students to make changes to Idaho borders.
- Read the history of Idaho’s border by historian Keith Petersen. Help students summarize the article, paying special attention to the examples of compromise found throughout the process. Point out the arbitrariness of borders, often determined by people far away from the affected land. Why does this matter? How do we allow these individuals to make such significant decisions?
- Place students into groups with different roles regarding forming borders. One activity could involve each group representing a different region (historically: Oregon Territory, Montana settlers, Washington politicians, etc.).
- Give each group different priorities (e.g., access to rivers, farmland, gold, mountains, trade routes). Using a blank map of the Northwest, students must negotiate where Idaho’s borders will be.
- Discuss how their version compares to real history. What compromises had to be made?
- Next, ask students to respond to the following prompt in a journal on the human experience of compromise. Prompt: Imagine you are participating on a council in 1860s Idaho determining where the border should go. What do the major players on the settler side and Native American side want? What could they be willing to give up? How does everyone feel afterward?
- Finally, present a modern scenario (e.g., two school clubs want to use the same space, two communities disagree on land use). In pairs or small groups, students must find a fair compromise and explain:
- What did each side give up?
- Was the solution fair?
- How is this like decisions made in Idaho’s formation?
- A follow-up activity could include a close read of the original draft of the Declaration of Independence. Lesson plans may be found in the Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources for Classroom Options section below.
Library of Congress. “The Declaration of Independence: From Rough Draft to Proclamation.” Accessed July 21, 2025. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/declaration-of-independence-from-rough-draft-to-proclamation/.