During social upheavals, how do people come together to sustain themselves and each other?

Inquiry

• SS.9-12.IS.7. Construct arguments using precise and knowledgeable claims, with evidence from multiple sources while acknowledging counterclaims, perspectives, and biases.

Civics

• SS.9-12.CV.9. Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes and related consequences on different communities including the marginalization of multiple groups.

History

• SS.9-12.H.14. Analyze the geographic and cultural forces that have resulted in conflict and cooperation. Identify the cause and effects of imperialism and colonization.

It’s time to show how much you’ve learned in this module! 

As a recap: Chicago has long been a place of many peoples coming together: Indigenous people integrated early European settlers into their existing trade, diplomatic, and kinship networks. Under Relocation, the intertribal Indigenous community in Chicago drastically expanded, and dozens of Indigenous-driven programs supported the community. Not all convergences have been permanent: the Chicago American Indian Conference of 1961 was a temporary convening to plan strong Indigenous futures; even so, it has had lasting impacts for Chicago.

Now,

1. Our core question this module has been: During social upheavals, how do people come together to sustain themselves and each other? We’ve investigated this question through three historical moments: Indigenous-settler relationships, the growth of the current Indigenous community in Chicago during and after Relocation, and the 1961 Chicago American Indian Conference. Break the question down and review your notes from across the module. 

2. Looking back to the stories you’ve learned from Indigenous Chicago, find specific examples that answer the question.  These might be values, resources, etc. that provide evidence for how people support each other. Identify specific examples that you want to describe. 

3. Craft a thesis that reflects your interpretation of the values and resources communities use to support each other in times of crisis. 

4. Using stories from Indigenous Chicago, build descriptions of the supporting evidence that illustrates your argument. 

5. Construct a conclusion that summarizes your evidence and argument. 

You can also research the current resources that support Native people in the Chicago community. With this information, create an updated version of the community service directory (like the service directory in SQ2):

1. Look for organizations through the website of the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative member organizations page. 

2. Design a directory of the social, health, and educational resources available for Native people in the Chicago area today. (See the NAES 1983 Service Directory as one example) 

3. Get creative! Make your list visually appealing. If working online, format it using an online tool like Canva or create an asset map on Google maps. Think about accessibility, audience, and your goals for how you might share this information.