Final Curriculum Project: Native American Involvement in the French and Indian War

Parts I, II & III: Document Set 1-9 and Questions, Sample Student Assignment

Rebecca Corso
Education 306: Teaching Social Studies
Professor Powell
8 May 2012

Document 1:

Excerpt from Massacre at Fort William Henry by David R. Starbuck, University Press of New England
1) Are the Native Americans treated any better today than they were when they were displaced and
marginalized in American society in the 18th century? (corroboration)
2) Why do you think the Mohicans would have aligned themselves with Rogers Rangers, which were
British troops, during the French and Indian War? (contextualization)

Document 2:

(Figure 94) Photo from The French and Indian War, 1754-1763: The Imperial Struggle for North
America by Seymour I. Shwartz. Originally published in 1783.
1)This engraving of the death of Montcalm was edited by the artist, when published 24 years after the
actual event. It is widely known that Montcalm did not die on the actual battlefield. To your
knowledge, do you believe that the Native Americans on the bottom left were also an artistic addition?
(corroboration)
2)Why would an artist take such liberties to include the Native Americans in this engraving? (sourcing)
3) To what extent is Montcalms death portrayed in this engraving as heroic, virtuous and honorable?
(close reading)

Document 3:

Painting by Thomas Jeffrys. Excerpt from The French and Indian War, 1754-1763: The Imperial
Struggle for North America by Seymour I. Shwartz
1) If Hendrick had gone to legation in London in 1710, wouldnt he have worn more westernized clothing?
Why would the artist, Thomas Jeffrys, have etched the Mohawk leader in traditional native clothing, and
holding a tomahawk? (sourcing/close reading)
2) Do you believe that the threat of a termination of the alliance with the Iroquois League would have truly
threatened the British in London? If not, how does the threat level differ for British colonists on the North
American frontier? (corroboration)

Document 4:
The Death of General Wolfe, Benjamin West, 1770. Photo from The French and Indian War, 17541763: The Imperial Struggle for North America by Seymour I. Shwartz
1) It is widely publicized that there were no Native Americans present at the falling of General
Wolfe. Do you think the painting would have had a different effect if West neglected to include the
statuesque figure in the foreground? (sourcing)
2) How is this scene similar or different from the painting in Document 2, other than differing artists?
Contemplate the years of publication of both paintings in contrast to the years of the actual events
that were painted. Wolfe died on September 13th, 1759 and this was published in 1770.
3) What does the inclusion of the Indian and those men surrounding him say about the British-Indian
relations at the time? (contextualization)

Document 5:

Excerpt from Memoir of a French and Indian War Soldier by Jolicoeur Charles Bonin, ed. Andrew
Gallup, Heritage Books, inc.
1)Charles Bonin was a common French soldier, and therefore this first-person account is a rarity. The
viewpoint is ethnocentric and there are many historical inaccuracies. Should we still consider his viewpoint
as a valid representation of history? Is this source worth reading, why or why not? (sourcing)
2) Is this vision of Native American accuarate, to your own knowledge? (corroboration)
3)How does this image of Native American compare to others in this document set? (corroboration)

Document 6:

Defeat of General Braddock, in the French and Indian War, in Virginia in 1755, Library of Congress
Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.
1)How is the land that the Native Americans are fighting on relate or compare to your knowledge of
American lands in the 18th century? (corroboration)
2)Which side of the war would you believe would approve of this engraving? The artist is purposely
not shown, so you must make your own inferences. (sourcing/corroboration)

Document 7:

Exhibited for the first time in North America, this Benjamin West painting, General Johnson Saving a
Wounded French Officer from the Tomahawk of an Indian, is part of a remarkable collection of 27 rare
works of 18th century art brought together for Clash of Empires. The painting is one of the few from the
period that depicts all three powers involved in the French and Indian War, in this case a British officer
saving a French officer from attack by an American Indian. West was a native of Pennsylvania who went on
to achieve fame as historical painter to British King George III.
Derby Art Museum and Gallery. Clash of Empires: The British, French & Indian War, 1754-1763
1)How does West portray Native Americans in combat in this painting? (close reading)
2)What is the significance of including all three powers in this painting? (close
reading/contextualizing)

Document 8:

That the savages of America should in their warfare mangle and scalp the unhappy prisoners who fall into
their hands is neither new nor extraordinary; but that the famous Lieutenant General Burgoyne, in whom
the fine gentleman is united with the soldier and the scholar, should hire the savages of America to scalp
europeans and the descendants of europeans, nay more, that he should pay a price for each scalp so
barbarously taken, is more than will be believed in England. [...] Miss McCrae, a young lady lovely to the
sight, of virtuous character and amiable disposition, engaged to be married to an officer of your army, was
[...] carried into the woods, and there scalped and mangled in the most shocking manner [...]
Gates to Burgoyne
The Death of Jane McCrea painting by John Vanderlyn, 1804
1)How does this paragraph taken from a letter from General Gates to General Burgoyne, who were both
generals in the British army, affect your understanding of this painting? (close reading)
2)What do this painting and the subsequent paragraph say about gender roles at the time? (contextualizing)

Document 9:

Map of English, French, Spanish and

Contested Landholdings at the onset of the French and Indian War
1) Locate on this map what you understand to be the land of the Native Americans at the time of the
outset of the French and Indian War. Which one, two or three empires laid claim to these lands?
(close reading)
2) To what extent, if at all, does this map provide for the portrayal of the lands held originally by
Native Americans? (close reading/sourcing)
3) Keep in mind your answers to the previous two questions. Is this a fair portrayal of the claimed
boundaries in 1754, why or why not? Include your own outside knowledge and inferences.
(corroboration)

Name: ________________________________________
___________________

Date:

Native American Involvement in the French and

Indian War

Objectives of this Assignment:

Understand key vocabulary words, important people and
places from the textbook chapter
Explain how art was used to depict Native Americans in the
war
Analyze British-Native American relations on the North
American frontier
Contextualize the treatment of Native Americans in the 18th
century
Synthesize different viewpoints of the war into one complete
picture
Critique and Evaluate the validity of authors of primary
sources
Concluding Assignment:
In order to illustrate what you have learned from this lesson overall,
including these nine documents, write a letter (at least 1 page, doublespaced in length) to a family member about your experience as if you
were living during the French and Indian War in the British colonies. You
may choose to be any age or ethnicity, but you must demonstrate your
understanding and analysis of Native American-British or Native
American-French relations. You also may choose to be one of the
figures in one of the pieces of art or letters in the document packet,
writing to a family member about your experiences.
This assignment is due to be turned in during class on FRIDAY, MAY
12th and no late assignments will be accepted as we will be discussing
our letters in class on Friday, so you must have one prepared in order
to participate in the class discussion.
This is a 20 point assignment and you will be graded on a scale from
1-5 on your:

Use of vocabulary, important people and places

Analysis of Native American relations

Neatness and cleanliness (Allowed to use a computer if
necessary)

Thoughtfulness and Uniqueness