American Indians in the 1800s: Right and Resistance

Gr 3–5—The title of Settling and Unsettling aptly describes westward expansion as a two-pronged event. There is the part that relates to white settlers who looked for a respite from crowded Eastern cities. Then there is the part that relates to Native people who tried to maintain and defend their way of life against interlopers. Each of the other selections narrows its focus by homing in on key people (e.g., Laura Ingalls Wilder and Sitting Bull) and movements. Considered as a whole, the series provides a rich, multifaceted narrative of a consequential time in U.S. history. The material includes first-order facts, such as the devastation faced by many Cherokee on the infamous Trail of Tears, and tangential but still compelling information—for instance, how Wilder's father's stories influenced her books. Illustrations are a balance of photographs and drawings, all arranged in a collagelike fashion around the text. However, sources are not cited.