For a college course on American West History, write a 10+ page research paper on “How did the portrayal of the Trail of Tears in American government documents and modern newspaper reports compare to the experiences and viewpoints of Cherokee people as documented in their own written accounts and oral histories, and what does this comparison reveal about the nuanced and diverse narratives within the history of the American West?” Add many citations and quotes in your paper and follow Chicago style format.
Follow this outline as best as you can or improve it.
I. Introduction
Overview of the Trail of Tears: significance in American history.
Importance of analyzing varied historical narratives.
Introduction to the sources: government documents, newspapers, Cherokee written accounts, and oral histories.
Thesis statement on the exploration of contrasting narratives and its implications for historical representation.
II. Historical Context and Government Actions
Overview of the political and social climate leading to the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
Examination of the legal and governmental rationale for removal.
Analysis of government documents portraying the policy and planning of the Trail of Tears.
Modern interpretations and reports on the Trail of Tears in contemporary newspapers and scholarly articles.
III. Cherokee Perspectives and Experiences
Introduction to Cherokee written records: letters, petitions, and other documents.
Preservation and significance of oral histories among the Cherokee.
Detailed accounts of the hardships and resistance during the relocation.
Reflections on the long-term impacts on Cherokee culture and identity.
IV. Comparative Analysis of Narratives
Juxtaposition of government portrayals with Cherokee experiences.
Discussion on discrepancies in descriptions of events, motivations, and consequences.
Analysis of tone, language, and intent in different types of sources.
How these narratives reflect broader historical perspectives or biases.
V. Implications of Diverse Narratives
The role of historical narrative in shaping public memory and identity.
The importance of including indigenous voices in historical documentation.
Reflection on how the Trail of Tears has been remembered in American history and its implications for contemporary issues involving Native American rights and representation.
VI. Conclusion
Summary of findings: disparities and commonalities between the narratives.
Reiteration of the importance of a multifaceted historical approach.
Suggestions for further research and the integration of diverse historical voices in educational curricula.
VII. Bibliography
Compilation of sources: government documents, newspaper archives, Cherokee writings, oral histories, and secondary scholarly works.
Incorporate scholarly secondary sources and primary sources. For the primary sources, add oral histories from sources like https://digital.libraries.ou.edu/whc/pioneer/. For the secondary sources add information from at least 3 of the following required readings:
Ramón A. Gutiérrez, When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away: Marriage, Sexuality, and Power in New Mexico, 1500-1846 (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1991)
Karl Jacoby, Shadows at Dawn: A Borderlands Massacre and the Violence of History (New York: Penguin Press, 2008)
Gunther Peck, Reinventing Free Labor: Padrones and Immigrant Workers in the North American West, 1880-1930 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000)
Kelly Lytle Hernández, Migra! A History of the U.S. Border Patrol.
I wrote a draft paper so draw ideas and information from there when making your own paper. Also refer to the rubric attached.
