Lesson updated Nov. 23, 2023. For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here.
Overview
With the Thanksgiving holiday in mind, students will learn about today's Wampanoag people, descendants of the same Native Americans who welcomed the Pilgrims at Plymouth nearly 400 years ago, and the story of Thanksgiving from the Wampanoags' perspective.
One key insight to keep in mind is that Native American culture in the U.S. is full of exciting news that affects people today! For example, did you know the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) just held its annual elections and general membership on Nov. 19th? How can you find out about current leadership?
In this lesson, students will decide to examine one of three current issues that have faced members of Wampanoag tribes in recent years, including the continued fight for their ancestral lands, preservation of native language and the right to build gambling casinos. For a shortened version of this lesson, or as a supplement, check out this slide deck prepared by Pear Deck.
Subject(s)
Social studies, U.S. History, English, Government
Estimated Time
One 45-minute period (with extension activities, two 45-minute periods)
Grade Level
Grades 6-12
Objective
Students will learn about today’s WAMPANOAG PEOPLE, the Native American tribe who interacted with the Pilgrims at Plymouth nearly 400 years ago. Students will also examine current issues in which Wampanoag tribes continue to fight for their ancestral homelands, preserve their Native language for future generations and discuss the meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Map showing locations of several Native American tribes, including the Wampanoag, who first met with the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Photo via Wikipedia (GNU Free Documentation License for educational purposes)
Main activities: Choose one of the two main activities below
1. Wampanoag side of the story:
Read the Indian Country Today article by Michelle Tirado,“The Wampanoag side of the first Thanksgiving story."
If short on time, read the third paragraph and the last three paragraphs of the article.
Discuss the following questions:
- How did the first arrival of European settlers at Plymouth in 1616 impact the Wampanoag tribe?
- Why do you think the story of Thanksgiving described in the article changed so radically over the years?
- What is your reaction after reading that some Wampanoag and other Native American tribes refer to Thanksgiving as the Day of Mourning?
2. Debate over land continues today in 3 different examples:
Choose one or more examples to learn about:
A. Tribal government, the U.S. Dept. of the Interior and 321 acres in Massachusetts:
Tribal sovereignty (the right of American Indians and Alaska Natives to govern themselves under the U.S. Constitution) over land originally belonging to the Wampanoag people is once again being called into question. Read both articles below.
Background: In March 2020, a federal judge in Boston ruled to take away the Wampanoag tribes’ trust status over 321 acres of land in Mashpee and Taunton, Mass. This decision was overturned by Judge Paul Friedman a few months later. The Department of Interior appealed that ruling in late July 2020, with no outcome yet upon the last update of this lesson. Be sure to check to see if there was an update on the judge's decision using a web search.
Having land "held in trust" means individuals or a group of people, in this case, the Wampanoag tribes, have full control over the land to tax, develop and manage -- not the U.S. government.
Read this response from Chairman Cedric Cromwell (Qaqeemasq, Running Bear) of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe from March 27, 2020.
Read this article about Judge Friedman ruling in favor of the Mashpee Wampanoag on June 5, 2020. If short on time, just read the first 5 paragraphs.
- Who do you think is entitled to the land?
- What evidence do you think is the strongest to support your point-of-view?
- Are you surprised that we are still having debates over Indian land hundreds of years later? How do these debates affect relationships between Native Americans and the government?
B. Family land dispute
Read the article Three witnesses speak during Vineyard land case trial; no verdict yet from judge (Oct. 17, 2022). Be sure to check to see if there was an update on the judge's decision using a web search.
- Who are the Devine family and Louisa Pocknett? What is the Vineyard Conservation Society? Who is the Kennedy family?
- What are the different arguments being made by the plaintiff and defendant?
- What do you think the judge's ruling should be?
C. Gambling debate
Read the article Court Denies Tribe Rights to Purseue Gambling on Martha's Vineyard about the Aquinnah Wamponoag's efforts to build a casino on their land. In recent years, several casinos have been built on Native American land, bringing in much needed revenue for the community.
- Why did the judge rule against the tribe in this case?
- What are some arguments for and against gambling casinos on Native American land?
- Do you think the judge's decision was fair? Why or why not?
Members of the Wampanoag perform a dance as they share their cultural dances with the public and call on them to take part with them at Indigenous Peoples Day in Newton, Massachusetts on October 10, 2022. - This is the second time the event has been held in the city. Tribes from around the Americas shared their cultures with the public in the form of prayers, dancing and speeches. The federal holiday to mark Columbus Day is also officially recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day, following a proclamation by US President Joe Biden. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)Critically reflective response
Choose one of the following questions to answer to make sure you understood the issues facing Wampanoag people today and the continued role of the U.S. government and business in their lives. Have students write one paragraph in response and discuss it with a classmate, family member or neighbor this holiday season.
- How do these conflicts reflect the ways in which the U.S. government and business interact with Native American individuals and groups today?
- Do you think it’s possible to celebrate Thanksgiving, a day which many cherish as a time of showing thanks to friends and family, while learning about the effects of colonization on the Wampanoag and other Native American peoples?
Extension activities
- Check out Classroom's Daily News Lesson Native American history through one Wampanoag family's journey for truth . The lesson spotlights an organization on Martha's Vineyard that has worked for several years to revive the Wampanoag history by educating children and adults about the Native culture and traditions while also aiming to protect the planet.
- The CDC found that cases of COVID-19 were 3.5 times higher among American Indian and Alaska Native populations than they were among non-Hispanic whites. A history of inequality has led to health and economic disparities in these communities, causing major disparities during this pandemic. Discuss the following questions:
- Why would a history of racial inequality and trauma affect indigenous peoples’ health today?
- Why does this matter? What do COVID-19 rates show about our country and what we must change?
Additional resources
FILE - In this June 25, 2018, photo, a wooden sign advises motorists of the location of Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal lands in Massachusetts. Tribe Chairman Cedric Cromwell announced in a post on the tribe's website on Friday, March 27, 2020, that he federal Bureau of Indian Affairs told them that the tribe's reservation will be "disestablished" and its land taken out of trust, per an order from Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)A wooden sign advises motorists of the location of Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal lands in Massachusetts in 2018. (Steven Senne/AP)
- Find out why Wampanoag tribal elder Tall Oak and fellow activists started the DAY OF MOURNING in 1970, the same day as Thanksgiving, to tell the story of the subjugation of the Wampanoag and other Native Americans. Discuss how some members of the Wampanoag Tribe work at Plimoth Plantations as a way to share their story and let visitors know how they embrace their culture 400 years later.
- Learn more about how the Wampanoag tribe took part in the 400th anniversary in 2020 of the Mayflower's arrival at Plymouth in these two history exhibits, which provide the Native American perspective on colonization and Thanksgiving. But others Wampanoag members, including Ramona Peters, chief historical preservation officer for the Mashpee Wampanoag, did not feel like celebrating.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6 Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8 Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
Lesson by Vic Pasquantonio, PBS NewsHour Classroom.
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