Warriors of the West
Grades 5-12, 90 minutes
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A warrior wearing silver hair disks and a breastplate captures three mules under fire. Ledger drawing by unknown Indian warrior, probably Lakota, ca. 1865. Detail from Half Moon ledger book. MS Am 2337, Houghton Library, Harvard University. Gift of Harriet J. Bradbury, 1930.
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Integrates with studies of
- Causes and consequences of westward expansion in the United States
- Impact of westward migration on the indigenous peoples of the plains
- Purposes and meanings in the arts
- Roles of artists in communities
- Concepts of style, stylistic influence, and stylistic change
- Research, evidence, and point of view
Program Description
Based on a newly-discovered pictorial ledger from the 1800s, this interdisciplinary program contrasts the Lakota meanings of west, wiyohpiyata, with the idea of the west as American national expansion. In small groups and through presentations, students will examine the complex roles of Lakota (Sioux) and Cheyenne warriors in the 1860s and 1870s. By interpreting the ledger art drawings, enhanced by contemporary and historic Native American art and artifacts, archival materials, and biographical texts, students will uncover the views of individuals and the conflicts that led to the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. Participants will have ample opportunity for interaction with museum objects as they explore the contributions these artists made in documenting history.
In conjunction with the exhibit: Wiyohpiyata: Lakota Images of the Contested West
- Free Teacher Guide contains new vocabulary, readings, and activities, coming soon!
- Conservation Clues! explores conservation science and the behind-the-scenes role of conservators.
- Current Exhibitions shows what's on view right now.
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