How do we know what we know about Indigenous peoples’ relationships with their lands and waters in the Chicago area?

Inquiry

• SS.9-12.IS.5. Gather and evaluate information from multiple primary and secondary sources that reflect the perspectives and experiences of multiple groups, including marginalized groups.
• SS.9-12.IS.11. Use interdisciplinary lenses to identify local, regional, state, natural, or global concerns and anticipate the outcome possible solutions might have on all impacted communities, including marginalized communities.

Geography

• SS.9-12.G.1. Use maps (created using geospatial and related technologies, if possible), satellite images and photographs to display and explain the spatial patterns of physical, cultural, political, economic and environmental characteristics.
• SS.9-12.G.3. Use self-collected or pre-existing data sets to generate spatial patterns at multiple scales that can be used to conduct analyses or to take civic action.
• SS.9-12.G.6. Analyze and explain how humans affect and interact with the environment and vice versa.

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

By now, you have examined what information historians can find by examining the land, Indigenous languages, archives, material culture, and maps. 

As a recap: Historians often use texts that are written down and held in archives as they try to make sense of the past. Sometimes they use other sources, too. Environmental historians sometimes think about the land as a source. Sometimes, historians can use linguistic research to learn about the past. Historians can also use material objects and maps to learn about the past.

Now,

1. Our core question this module has been: How do we know what we know about Indigenous peoples’ relationships with their lands and waters in the Chicago area? We’ve investigated this question by looking at the different methods historians use to learn about the past. Review your notes from across the module as you prepare your response. 

2. Construct a graphic organizer that shows the many ways historians gather information. As you do, include different types of sources and what information historians might get from each of them.

3. Look further at the kinds of information that might not be available in a written text in an archive. Draft an argument about why non-text sources are important for historians.

Some historians do public history, which means they apply historical research to help communities learn and remember the past. 

1. Identify a local place you might want to help others learn about. 

2. Notice how Indigenous people are or are not represented in stories about this place (a historical marker, local history books, a Wikipedia page, etc.).

3. Identify where you could find more information about Indigenous histories of this place. What kinds of sources would help you?

4. Write a proposal to encourage others to research or learn more about that place. Include the topic and the types of sources you would need. 

5. If you have time, you can look into this history yourself and suggest a newly expanded narrative!