Overview
Lesson 1: What Do Treaties Mean in Today’s World?
Lesson 2: The Fur Trade as a Model for Economic Systems Today
Lesson 3: Sacred Sites
Lesson 4: Key Figures and Events
Lesson 5: Paying Respect
Extending the lesson/References
Standards
CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT
SS.CM.CG.01—Understand the purpose of laws and government, provisions to limit power, and the ability to meet changing needs as essential ideas of the Constitution.
SS.CM.CG.02—Understand the interrelationship between local, state, and federal government.
SS.CM.CG.03—Understand how the branches of government have powers and limitations.
SS.CM.CG.04—Understand the role of the courts and of the law in protecting the rights of U.S. citizens.
SS.CM.CG.05—Understand the civic responsibilities of U.S. citizens and how they are met.
SS.CM.CG.06—Understand how government policies and decisions have been influenced and changed by individuals, groups, and international organizations.
SS.CM.CG.08—Understand how various forms of government function in different situations.
CD Segments to Play
For this topic, go to Historical Introduction and Elder Wisdom.
Background
Suggested Strategies
Contact tribal offices in Grand Ronde, Portland, Eugene, or Salem for names of tribal members who might visit your school and discuss these issues.
Set up a conference call with tribal managers, judge, or legal staff to obtain their views.
Contact off-reservation government officials for their views on the meaning of treaties today (Governor’s office, Representative from Third Congressional District). Invite students to begin their research on these issues by reviewing the tribe’s website, HYPERLINK “http://www.grandronde.org/” http://www.grandronde.org/.
Analyze the list of nonprofit organizations receiving grants from Spirit Mountain Community Fund. Are there any trends or implications?
Activities
1. Research
Guiding questions for student research, discussion and projects:
What do treaties mean in today’s world?
What is the history of reservations in Oregon and the Grand Ronde Confederation in particular?
What is known about the constituent tribes that make up the Confederation? For example, among the Kalapuyas was another large group known as the Atfaliti (names like the Tualatin River derive from this tribe). Invite students to research each subgroup such as Upper Umpquas, Kalapuyas, Mollalas, Tillamooks, Clatsop, Rogue Rivers, Takelmas, Latgawas, Chastas, Multnomahs, Mary’s River, Clackamas, and Paiutes.
What are treaties and how are they to be regarded today? Read the Constitution governing the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community. (See HYPERLINK “http://www.grandronde.org” http://www.grandronde.org.)
Describe the laws that govern the Confederation and how these laws compare to the essential ideas of the U.S. Constitution. Does the U.S. Constitution address Indian nations?
What is the history of intergovernmental relations between the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and local jurisdictions such as cities, counties, school districts; the State of Oregon; and federal agencies? Why do reservations have different laws than off-reservation political entities? Does one jurisdiction supersede another? Give examples from recent history.
What are the limits of power for the reservation vs. local, state and federal laws?
How does the court system work for the Confederation? What is its jurisdiction?
Research a recent example of how an issue for Tribal members with an external government was resolved through negotiation, arbitration, legislation or other problem-solving mechanisms.
2. Vocabulary
treaty sovereignty
ceded lands federally-recognized tribes
reservation
