Lesson 2: Comparing Accounts

This lesson will explore various accounts of the Sand Creek Massacre and enable students to compare conflicting accounts to develop an understanding of what happened at Sand Creek. After reading the first account of the massacre by John Chivington, the students will form groups and analyze other accounts about Sand Creek and compare them critically. It is best to complete Lesson 1: Sand Creek Background beforehand, but if need be, the background information sheet can be used to supplant Lesson 1. This lesson is planned as a 2-day lesson. Look at this lesson in conjunction with lesson 3 to determine if they would fit better together or as separate lessons, depending on the familiarity of your class with primary source analysis and the concept of bias.