Sand Creek Massacre Lesson 4
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Dublin Core
Title
Sand Creek Massacre Lesson 4
Description
This lesson will guide students through the process of reparations and encourage them to consider questions of justice as it relates to acts of war and genocide. It will build off of the discussions and understandings from the previous lessons in order to assess the appropriate response to the Sand Creek Massacre. The students will analyze the Little Arkanasas Treaty of 1865, which provided reparations for the Sand Creek Massacre, and discuss questions of justice as it relates to genocide and war. The discussion will connect to the broader theme of reparations and reflect on the United States' attitude toward reparations and indigenous communities. This lesson is planned to take 2 days. However, if you are pressed for time, give preference to the first activity of reparations/ treaty-making, as it is a particularly insightful exercise for demonstrating their understanding of the massacre and encouraging them to tackle difficult questions related to justice and war. Allow for dissent and debate in class discussions during this activity.
Creator
Ben Binversie
Lesson Plan Item Type Metadata
Duration
2 Days
Objectives
Students will understand that treaties are difficult to negotiate, given the disparate interests of the parties, treaties are not necessarily binding, especially in the case of Native American-U.S. relations, and are difficult to enforce, reparations in the form of money alone cannot resolve the pain and damage caused by the Sand Creek Massacre. Students will also relate the Little Arkansas Treaty to the broader idea of reparations for Native Americans.
Materials
Lesson 4 Presentation, Lesson 4 Worksheet, Lesson 4 Little Arkansas Treaty Text
Lesson Plan Text
Sand Creek Unit
Lesson 4: Treaty and Reparations
This lesson will guide students through the process of reparations and encourage them to consider questions of justice as it relates to acts of war and genocide. It will build off of the discussions and understandings from the previous lessons in order to assess the appropriate response to the Sand Creek Massacre. The students will analyze the Little Arkanasas Treaty of 1865, which provided reparations for the Sand Creek Massacre, and discuss questions of justice as it relates to genocide and war. The discussion will connect to the broader theme of reparations and reflect on the United States' attitude toward reparations and indigenous communities. This lesson is planned to take 2 days. However, if you are pressed for time, give preference to the first activity of reparations/ treaty-making, as it is a particularly insightful exercise for demonstrating their understanding of the massacre and encouraging them to tackle difficult questions related to justice and war. Allow for dissent and debate in class discussions during this activity.
Essential Questions:
How can a treaty resolve differences between Native Americans and the U.S. government?
Are treaties an effective way to maintain peace and improve relations between settlers and Native Americans?
Can monetary reparations ever atone for the damage done by the military at Sand Creek?
What role do reparations play in historical memory as it relates to U.S. - Native relations?
Desired Results
Understandings Students Will Know/Will be Able To:
• Treaties are difficult to negotiate, given the disparate interests of the parties
• Treaties are not necessarily binding, especially in the case of Native American-U.S. relations, and are difficult to enforce
• Reparations in the form of money alone cannot resolve the pain and damage caused the Sand Creek Massacre
• Make a treaty to achieve goals of peace and resolve differences
• Analyze a treaty and summarize its contents
• Relate the Little Arkansas Treaty to the broader idea of reparations for Native Americans
Assessment Evidence
• Students will create a Treaty in groups
• Students will discuss their treaties as a class
• Students will summarize to the class the section of the Little Arkansas Treaty they analyze
• Students will draft a resolution for the U.S. Congress regarding the Sand Creek Massacre
Key Terms
• Reparations
• Treaty
• Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865
Materials Needed:
Reparations/ Treaty worksheet
Little Arkansas Treaty (images and text included)
Powerpoint Presentation
Lesson Activities:
Introduction (~5-7 minutes)
• Introduce the concept of reparations to the class and solicit input on what sort of elements could be included in reparations. When are reparations necessary? (Use Lesson 4 Powerpoint Slide 2)
Body Activity (~40 minutes)
• As a class, discuss important elements of what should be considered in a treaty to address the Sand Creek Massacre and solicit students' thoughts on different aspects of the treaty/reparations
o Students can take notes from this discussion on the front page of the Lesson 4 Worksheet
• (Powerpoint Slide 3) Divide the students into small groups to complete the Lesson 4 Worksheet. Explain that the goal is to create a suitable treaty, including reparations for the Sand Creek Massacre. Give them approximately 20 minutes in groups to work.
o Convene as a class to discuss the decisions students made for their treaties (~20 mins).
o Attempt to bring in different viewpoints about how to resolve the different interests
o If a consensus can be reached on certain elements, emphasize it, and you can write it on the board or projector. However, disagreement is also acceptable.
Wrap-Up/Conclusion Day 1 (5 minutes)
• Wrap up class discussion of treaty/reparations (Last question on the worksheet): Are our group treaties feasible and enforceable?
o How can we ensure that both parties follow the terms of the agreement?
o Can you think of enforcement mechanisms?
o Keep in mind the history of treaty negotiations, the willingness of the U.S. Government to go back on their word, and the misunderstandings that resulted from ambiguous treaties between Native peoples and the U.S. government.
Introduction Day 2 (5 minutes)
• Remind the class of the treaties they made and introduce the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865, which was supposed to do what the students’ treaties accomplished (see PPT Slide 4)
o Emphasize that the treaty only lasted 2 years. Encourage the students, when they read the treaty, to look for parts of the treaty that might have caused it to fall apart.
Body Activity Day 2 (~35 minutes)
• In pairs or groups of 3, assign students to read 1 article** of the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865 and write a short summary (a few sentences) to report to the class (complete worksheet Part 2) (10 minutes)
o Regarding reparations, encourage students to think about whether these reparations are enough, given the damage done at Sand Creek. What do the reparations/ treaty accomplish?
o **Articles 5 and 6, and 7, 8, and 9 should be grouped together.
• Report back to class- go through the whole treaty, article by article (25 minutes)
o Suggested important elements of each article of the treaty (as a guideline)
o Article 1: promise of peace between the Native American tribes and the U.S. Government, as well as peace between the tribes themselves. Arbitration process (rather than resorting to fighting) in the case of breaking the treaty (through hostile acts or depredations) which goes through the President (a supposed impartial arbiter).
o Article 2: sets the boundaries for their reservation land- for the “absolute and undisturbed use and occupation of the tribes who are parties to this treaty, and of such other friendly tribes as they may from time to time agree to admit among them, and that no white person, except officers, agents, and employees of the Government, shall go upon or settle” within that area (unless the tribes permit it). The tribes of this treaty accept this as their permanent home and will not leave the reservation for hunting purposes or other purposes without written consent from their Government agent.
o Article 3: Until they are able to move to the designated Reservation (until the Government clears other Indian tribes off the land), the tribes are permitted to reside upon and range at pleasure throughout the unsettled portions of that part of the country they claim as originally theirs (between the Arkansas and Platte Rivers) provided that they report to the commander of the nearest military post if they see or hear of any hostile bands of Indians whatsoever.
o Article 4: The U.S. Government may lay off and build through the reservation, such roads or highways as may be deemed necessary and may also establish military posts if necessary to preserve peace among Indians. Any injury or cost to the Indians coming from such building and occupancy will be ascertained and they will be compensated through judgment of the U.S. Congress.
o Article 5: Per special request of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, the U.S. grants permits in fee simple of 640 acres of land to the following people… [list of names]
o Article 6: Wishing to express its condemnation and repudiate the outrages perpetrated against certain bands of Cheyenne and Arapaho at Sand Creek on November 29th, 1864, the U.S. Government agrees to make reparations for the injuries done. They will grant 320 acres of land by patent to the following chiefs of said bands… and to each other person who lost a spouse or parent 160 acres. Lands will be selected by the Secretary of the Interior and shall be within the reservation established in Article 2. The U.S. will also pay in securities, animals, goods, provisions, or other useful articles as compensation for property belonging to them [people who suffered at Sand Creek].
o Article 7: The United States agree to annually give 20 dollars per person entitled to participate in the beneficial provisions of this treaty until they move to the reservation and 40 dollars per person after that, for the next 40 years. The aggregate number at the time of this treaty of people who are eligible for such provisions is 2,800.
o Article 8: The tribes party to this treaty will do their best to unite the other bands of their tribes to join them in this treaty, which shall be made binding on all parties whenever such absentees have participated in the beneficial provisions of this treaty (ie- if they receive money, they are agreeing to the terms of the treaty).
o Article 9: Upon the ratification of this treaty all former treaties are abrogated. The parties to this treaty, representing the U.S. and the aforementioned tribes, agree to the treaty, and sign their names below.
o Discuss whether it is adequate and whether it will make peace. What are the goals of this treaty and the role of reparations? How do the students' treaties they made compare to the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865? (PPT Slide 6)
Wrap-Up/Conclusion Day 2 (15 minutes)
• (use PPT Slide 7) Reparations Resolution
o Hannah Arendt quote about historical memory
o (Slide 8) Show students example of resolution from 2009
o (Return to Slide 7) Students will draft a resolution for the U.S. Congress regarding the Sand Creek Massacre
After they write their resolutions, ask a few students to share their resolutions with the class. Then, ask the students to consider, and discuss as a class, whether a resolution by the U.S. Congress matters.
• Is it too late to do anything about Sand Creek?
• Do words matter when so many lives were lost in such a brutal way?
• Is there a need for reparations on a big scale?
Lesson Sources:
Treaty of Little Arkansas River, October 14, 1865 (Ratified Indian Treaties #341, 14 STAT 703) between the U.S. and Arapahoe and Cheyenne Indians (Black Kettle Band) granting lands in reparation for the Sand Creek Massacre, November 29, 1864. Compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler, Clerk to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1904. Accessed on: http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/vol2/treaties/che0887.htm
Lesson 4: Treaty and Reparations
This lesson will guide students through the process of reparations and encourage them to consider questions of justice as it relates to acts of war and genocide. It will build off of the discussions and understandings from the previous lessons in order to assess the appropriate response to the Sand Creek Massacre. The students will analyze the Little Arkanasas Treaty of 1865, which provided reparations for the Sand Creek Massacre, and discuss questions of justice as it relates to genocide and war. The discussion will connect to the broader theme of reparations and reflect on the United States' attitude toward reparations and indigenous communities. This lesson is planned to take 2 days. However, if you are pressed for time, give preference to the first activity of reparations/ treaty-making, as it is a particularly insightful exercise for demonstrating their understanding of the massacre and encouraging them to tackle difficult questions related to justice and war. Allow for dissent and debate in class discussions during this activity.
Essential Questions:
How can a treaty resolve differences between Native Americans and the U.S. government?
Are treaties an effective way to maintain peace and improve relations between settlers and Native Americans?
Can monetary reparations ever atone for the damage done by the military at Sand Creek?
What role do reparations play in historical memory as it relates to U.S. - Native relations?
Desired Results
Understandings Students Will Know/Will be Able To:
• Treaties are difficult to negotiate, given the disparate interests of the parties
• Treaties are not necessarily binding, especially in the case of Native American-U.S. relations, and are difficult to enforce
• Reparations in the form of money alone cannot resolve the pain and damage caused the Sand Creek Massacre
• Make a treaty to achieve goals of peace and resolve differences
• Analyze a treaty and summarize its contents
• Relate the Little Arkansas Treaty to the broader idea of reparations for Native Americans
Assessment Evidence
• Students will create a Treaty in groups
• Students will discuss their treaties as a class
• Students will summarize to the class the section of the Little Arkansas Treaty they analyze
• Students will draft a resolution for the U.S. Congress regarding the Sand Creek Massacre
Key Terms
• Reparations
• Treaty
• Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865
Materials Needed:
Reparations/ Treaty worksheet
Little Arkansas Treaty (images and text included)
Powerpoint Presentation
Lesson Activities:
Introduction (~5-7 minutes)
• Introduce the concept of reparations to the class and solicit input on what sort of elements could be included in reparations. When are reparations necessary? (Use Lesson 4 Powerpoint Slide 2)
Body Activity (~40 minutes)
• As a class, discuss important elements of what should be considered in a treaty to address the Sand Creek Massacre and solicit students' thoughts on different aspects of the treaty/reparations
o Students can take notes from this discussion on the front page of the Lesson 4 Worksheet
• (Powerpoint Slide 3) Divide the students into small groups to complete the Lesson 4 Worksheet. Explain that the goal is to create a suitable treaty, including reparations for the Sand Creek Massacre. Give them approximately 20 minutes in groups to work.
o Convene as a class to discuss the decisions students made for their treaties (~20 mins).
o Attempt to bring in different viewpoints about how to resolve the different interests
o If a consensus can be reached on certain elements, emphasize it, and you can write it on the board or projector. However, disagreement is also acceptable.
Wrap-Up/Conclusion Day 1 (5 minutes)
• Wrap up class discussion of treaty/reparations (Last question on the worksheet): Are our group treaties feasible and enforceable?
o How can we ensure that both parties follow the terms of the agreement?
o Can you think of enforcement mechanisms?
o Keep in mind the history of treaty negotiations, the willingness of the U.S. Government to go back on their word, and the misunderstandings that resulted from ambiguous treaties between Native peoples and the U.S. government.
Introduction Day 2 (5 minutes)
• Remind the class of the treaties they made and introduce the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865, which was supposed to do what the students’ treaties accomplished (see PPT Slide 4)
o Emphasize that the treaty only lasted 2 years. Encourage the students, when they read the treaty, to look for parts of the treaty that might have caused it to fall apart.
Body Activity Day 2 (~35 minutes)
• In pairs or groups of 3, assign students to read 1 article** of the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865 and write a short summary (a few sentences) to report to the class (complete worksheet Part 2) (10 minutes)
o Regarding reparations, encourage students to think about whether these reparations are enough, given the damage done at Sand Creek. What do the reparations/ treaty accomplish?
o **Articles 5 and 6, and 7, 8, and 9 should be grouped together.
• Report back to class- go through the whole treaty, article by article (25 minutes)
o Suggested important elements of each article of the treaty (as a guideline)
o Article 1: promise of peace between the Native American tribes and the U.S. Government, as well as peace between the tribes themselves. Arbitration process (rather than resorting to fighting) in the case of breaking the treaty (through hostile acts or depredations) which goes through the President (a supposed impartial arbiter).
o Article 2: sets the boundaries for their reservation land- for the “absolute and undisturbed use and occupation of the tribes who are parties to this treaty, and of such other friendly tribes as they may from time to time agree to admit among them, and that no white person, except officers, agents, and employees of the Government, shall go upon or settle” within that area (unless the tribes permit it). The tribes of this treaty accept this as their permanent home and will not leave the reservation for hunting purposes or other purposes without written consent from their Government agent.
o Article 3: Until they are able to move to the designated Reservation (until the Government clears other Indian tribes off the land), the tribes are permitted to reside upon and range at pleasure throughout the unsettled portions of that part of the country they claim as originally theirs (between the Arkansas and Platte Rivers) provided that they report to the commander of the nearest military post if they see or hear of any hostile bands of Indians whatsoever.
o Article 4: The U.S. Government may lay off and build through the reservation, such roads or highways as may be deemed necessary and may also establish military posts if necessary to preserve peace among Indians. Any injury or cost to the Indians coming from such building and occupancy will be ascertained and they will be compensated through judgment of the U.S. Congress.
o Article 5: Per special request of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, the U.S. grants permits in fee simple of 640 acres of land to the following people… [list of names]
o Article 6: Wishing to express its condemnation and repudiate the outrages perpetrated against certain bands of Cheyenne and Arapaho at Sand Creek on November 29th, 1864, the U.S. Government agrees to make reparations for the injuries done. They will grant 320 acres of land by patent to the following chiefs of said bands… and to each other person who lost a spouse or parent 160 acres. Lands will be selected by the Secretary of the Interior and shall be within the reservation established in Article 2. The U.S. will also pay in securities, animals, goods, provisions, or other useful articles as compensation for property belonging to them [people who suffered at Sand Creek].
o Article 7: The United States agree to annually give 20 dollars per person entitled to participate in the beneficial provisions of this treaty until they move to the reservation and 40 dollars per person after that, for the next 40 years. The aggregate number at the time of this treaty of people who are eligible for such provisions is 2,800.
o Article 8: The tribes party to this treaty will do their best to unite the other bands of their tribes to join them in this treaty, which shall be made binding on all parties whenever such absentees have participated in the beneficial provisions of this treaty (ie- if they receive money, they are agreeing to the terms of the treaty).
o Article 9: Upon the ratification of this treaty all former treaties are abrogated. The parties to this treaty, representing the U.S. and the aforementioned tribes, agree to the treaty, and sign their names below.
o Discuss whether it is adequate and whether it will make peace. What are the goals of this treaty and the role of reparations? How do the students' treaties they made compare to the Little Arkansas Treaty of 1865? (PPT Slide 6)
Wrap-Up/Conclusion Day 2 (15 minutes)
• (use PPT Slide 7) Reparations Resolution
o Hannah Arendt quote about historical memory
o (Slide 8) Show students example of resolution from 2009
o (Return to Slide 7) Students will draft a resolution for the U.S. Congress regarding the Sand Creek Massacre
After they write their resolutions, ask a few students to share their resolutions with the class. Then, ask the students to consider, and discuss as a class, whether a resolution by the U.S. Congress matters.
• Is it too late to do anything about Sand Creek?
• Do words matter when so many lives were lost in such a brutal way?
• Is there a need for reparations on a big scale?
Lesson Sources:
Treaty of Little Arkansas River, October 14, 1865 (Ratified Indian Treaties #341, 14 STAT 703) between the U.S. and Arapahoe and Cheyenne Indians (Black Kettle Band) granting lands in reparation for the Sand Creek Massacre, November 29, 1864. Compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler, Clerk to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1904. Accessed on: http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/vol2/treaties/che0887.htm
Themes
Westward Expansion: Who and How
We Are Still Here
Files
Citation
Ben Binversie, “Sand Creek Massacre Lesson 4,” Native History Project, accessed April 28, 2026, https://native-history.sites.grinnell.edu/items/show/49.