Jackson, William Henry. Group of Bannock Indians / photographed by W. H. Jackson. 1878. Print. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/92515727/.
Students will reflect on the Native American history, beginning with viewing a picture taken in 1868 of a group of Bannock Indians located in the Eastern Idaho Territory, 22 years before Idaho became a state. Students will reflect on this photo, research the Native American history of where they live, and reflect on their ancestry. This will lead to a short response about Native American history and the importance of Native Americans in American history. The purpose of these activities is to respond to the question, What does America mean to me? and how Native American history contributes to the American experience.
The Bannock People began in Oregon and migrated to Eastern Idaho during the 18th century due to the presence of the Snake River and abundance of animals. They, combined with the Shoshone Indians, were given Fort Hall Reservation in Eastern Idaho as a home in 1868, and both continue as significant presences in the cultural landscape in Idaho.
Source: https://www.sbtribes.com/; https://native-land.ca/
- What stands out to you in this 1868 photo of the Bannock Indians?
- Who is in this photo? Who is not in the photo?
- What does this photograph tell you about the daily lives of the Bannock people in 1868? Are there any similarities to how we live today?
- Do the people in the photograph appear posed, or do they seem captured in a candid moment? What might this suggest about the photographer’s purpose?
ELA Standards
CCSS: 6th Grade Reading Comprehension: Nonfiction Text (NF). 6b. Explain in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in texts through examples or anecdotes.
Social Studies Standards
6-12 United States History: Historical Thinking Skills. 6-9.WH.6.1. Synthesize evidence from information sources including, but not limited to artifacts, primary and secondary sources, charts, graphs, and/ or images to interpret historical events.
Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment.
- Display the photo: “Group of Bannock Indians” and ask the guiding questions: What do you see? Who is represented? Who took this photo and why? What might this image not be showing?
- Conduct a land acknowledgment of Native populations using the link: https://native-land.ca/. Ask students to reflect on how knowing this helps them appreciate the history of where they live.
- Introduce the Declaration of Independence’s claim: “All men are created equal.” Ask: Did Indigenous peoples like the Bannock have access to the promises of 1776 in 1878? Discuss the cultural resilience of Native nations from their origins until now.
- Pose questions: What does independence mean to different people across time? How does understanding Native American history enhance American freedoms?
- Have students write a short response to the question: What can this image teach us about both the progress and the unfinished work of the American experiment with Native Americans?
- What next steps might we take to understand better Native Americans around us today?
- Similar to Native Americans, how is your progress in the American experiment unfinished?
Phillips, Chas. W. The Idaho Indian war / Chas. W. Phillips, photographer, Walla Walla. c. 1877. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/00650888/.