Colonial America--19th Century
​Reading and Writing Workshop

Workshop Title: Westward Expansion, Texas and the Removal of the Comanches
​
​Historical Thinking Guide

Map of Bijii and John's Domain

​Era:  Westward Expansion
The Kindle Version is linked above and the PDF version is linked here:​  Bijii and John 
​Historical Events List
Workshop Objective:
By the end of these reading and writing workshop sessions, students will 1) Analyze the historical context within a historical fiction text, identifying key events, figures, and social issues of the time period, 2) Understand how authors incorporate real historical events and settings into fictional narratives, and distinguish between historical fact and creative interpretation, 3) Evaluate the impact of historical setting on character development, plot, and themes within the story, 4) Compare and contrast historical fiction with other genres, focusing on the blending of history and fiction, 5) Develop critical thinking skills by making connections between the historical events portrayed and their relevance and 6) Demonstrate improved comprehension, interpretation, and analytical writing skills through discussions, essays, and creative projects related to historical fiction texts.

General Instructions:
Begin by reading the novella as a class.  As students read, they should complete the Historical Thinking Guide.  However, it can be shortened by modifying to focus on specific events.  For example, the workshop might begin with a whole class reading of the entire novella, and then the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of history through historical fiction titled Bijii and John , primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of migration, cultural exchange, conflict, and resilience.

Reading & Writing Workshop Sessions
Conduct the group and individual activities highlighted below. Every session also incorporates one public-domain primary source—with a link provided—to enrich students’ historical context.  Each session can stand alone, so the workshop is easily modified to fit schedule and time constraints.
SESSION 1: Indian Removal Act (1830) & The Trail of Tears
1. Novel Excerpt Review
  • In the novel, references to Andrew Jackson’s presidency and the earlier forced removals (Cherokee “Trail of Tears,” Navajo “Long Walk”) frame the background for the eventual removal of the Comanche.
2. Primary Source Exploration
  • Indian Removal Act (1830) (Public domain text courtesy of Our Documents):
    https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=25
  • Have learners read excerpts from the Act, focusing on the key language that permitted forced relocation.
3. Group Discussion & Activity
  • Discussion Prompt: “How did the 1830 Indian Removal Act set the stage for all subsequent forced relocations—like the Comanches in the novel?”
  • Group Activity:
    • Historical Newspaper Role-Play: Break students into small groups. Assign each group to create a one-page “newspaper” from the 1830s announcing the passage of the act. Include how it might affect different tribes, such as the Cherokee, and foreshadow how it might eventually affect the Comanche.
4. Independent Writing & Reflection
  • Journaling Prompt: “Imagine you are a young Comanche (like Bijii) or a Cherokee child forced westward. Describe the emotional impact the relocation laws might have on you, your family, and your sense of place.”
  • Encourage sharing these journal entries in pairs or small circles.

SESSION 2: The Republic of Texas & Sam Houston’s Presidency (1836–1845)
1. Novel Excerpt Review
  • The novel depicts Sam Houston’s presidency as a relatively peaceful time for some Comanche groups.
2. Primary Source Exploration 3. Group Discussion & Activity
  • Discussion Prompt: “What reasons did Texas settlers give for declaring independence from Mexico, and how might that have affected Native communities who had lived on that land for centuries?”
  • Group Activity:
    • Compare & Contrast Table: Split a chart into “Comanche Way of Life vs. Texan Settlers’ Motivations.” Based on the primary sources and novel references, fill in differences in values, land use, and governance.
4. Independent Writing & Reflection
  • Reflective Paragraph: Students write a short piece on how Sam Houston’s policies tried—but ultimately failed—to protect certain Native tribes, and how that is portrayed through Bijii’s father’s negotiations.

SESSION 3: The Annexation of Texas (1845) & The War with Mexico (1846–48)
1. Novel Excerpt Review
  • The novel mentions how President Polk annexed Texas and the boundary dispute with Mexico leading to war.
2. Primary Source Exploration 3. Group Discussion & Activity
  • Discussion Prompt: “In what ways did the annexation and war expand the U.S.? What were the ripple effects on Native peoples living in what was originally ‘Comancheria’?”
  • Mapping Activity:
    • Provide an 1840s map of Texas and Northern Mexico (public domain images from the Library of Congress map collections). Have participants mark out the Comancheria region and identify how annexation shifted borders around it.
4. Independent Writing & Reflection
  • Letter Home Exercise: Encourage students to write a letter from the perspective of a Comanche band member or an Anglo settler describing the immediate aftermath of the annexation and war—how land claims are changing daily.

SESSION 4: Texas in the Civil War (1861–1865)
1. Novel Excerpt Review
  • The novel briefly states that Texas joined the Confederacy and rejoined the Union afterward, further cementing Anglo power in the region.
2. Primary Source Exploration 3. Group Discussion & Activity
  • Discussion Prompt: “How might the Civil War have affected the Comanche’s fate? Did it distract the federal government or ultimately strengthen its resolve to remove tribes?”
  • Debate Club:
    • Divide into two sides. One side defends the idea that the Civil War prevented immediate large-scale removals; the other side argues it accelerated or worsened conditions for Native tribes.
4. Independent Writing & Reflection
  • Short Essay: “Analyze how major national conflicts (like the Civil War) have shaped or overshadowed local struggles, including those of the Comanche in Palo Pinto County.”

SESSION 5: Medicine Lodge Treaty (1867)
1. Novel Excerpt Review
  • The text explicitly references the Medicine Lodge Treaty, signed without the Buffalo Eaters’ knowledge, eventually leading to the cavalry’s actions in Palo Pinto County.
2. Primary Source Exploration 3. Group Discussion & Activity
  • Discussion Prompt: “Why did some Comanche bands sign the treaty while others—like the Buffalo Eaters—were never consulted? What did the treaty promise versus what occurred?”
  • Reading Aloud:
    • As a group, read selected paragraphs from the treaty’s text. Have volunteers summarize each paragraph in plain language to ensure comprehension.
4. Independent Writing & Reflection
  • Compare to Novel Exercise: Students write a one-page analysis connecting the treaty’s actual provisions with the novel’s depiction of the Buffalo Eaters. How did the lack of unity among Comanche bands impact their future?

SESSION 6: The Near-Extermination of the Buffalo
1. Novel Excerpt Review
  • The novel highlights how eastern “sport hunters” and hide hunters shot buffalo from trains, leaving the meat to rot, and how integral the buffalo was to Comanche survival.
2. Primary Source Exploration
  • 19th-Century Photographs of Buffalo Hunts (public domain, Library of Congress):
    https://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=buffalo%20hunt
  • Firsthand Accounts: George Bird Grinnell’s writings on buffalo destruction (in public domain; many reprints via Project Gutenberg, e.g. “The Passing of the Great West”).
3. Group Discussion & Activity
  • Discussion Prompt: “How does destroying a single key resource—like the buffalo—reshape an entire culture and economy?”
  • Cause & Effect Web:
    • On a large poster, create a web showing how the buffalo’s extermination leads to cultural collapse for the Comanche (food, shelter, tools, clothing) and to increased settlement by Anglos.
4. Independent Writing & Reflection
  • Short Reflection: “Write about a resource so essential that, if it were removed from your life, your entire day-to-day living would collapse. What parallels can you draw to the Comanche and the buffalo?”

SESSION 7: Kiowa Raids & Final Forced Removal
1. Novel Excerpt Review
  • The novel recounts how fear of Kiowa raids (and actions by other tribes) led the military and Texas Rangers to finalize the Comanche removal. The Buffalo Eaters suffer the massacre of their horses.
2. Primary Source Exploration
  • Historic Newspaper Accounts of Kiowa or Comanche raids (public domain, Library of Congress “Chronicling America”):
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
  • Have participants search “Kiowa raids” or “Comanche raids” in 1860s–1870s Texas newspapers.
3. Group Discussion & Activity
  • Discussion Prompt: “How did newspaper accounts shape public perception of Native tribes? How did fear of raids justify harsh government actions?”
  • Analysis Activity:
    • Have small groups find an article describing a raid. They highlight any biases or sensational language. Then, compare these accounts to the novel’s perspective on what happened to the Buffalo Eaters.
4. Independent Writing & Reflection
  • Creative Writing: “From the viewpoint of a rancher who reads a sensationalist article about a Kiowa raid, write a diary entry about how that shapes your opinion of all Natives. Then, from the viewpoint of a Comanche like Bijii, write a diary entry responding to that rumor.”

SESSION 8: Assimilation, Adoption & Legacy(Although not a single “historical event,” the assimilation theme and final forced relocation are critical to the novel’s ending.)
1. Novel Excerpt Review
  • Focus on Bijii (later called Allie) staying behind with Anglo settlers and her official legal adoption, exemplifying how some Native individuals entered Anglo society under duress.
2. Primary Source Exploration 3. Group Discussion & Activity
  • Discussion Prompt: “What forms did assimilation take for Native people in the late 1800s? How does Allie’s adoption reflect forced cultural blending?”
  • Group Activity – Two Perspectives:
    • Participants form two circles: one circle writing from the perspective of a Comanche elder on the reservation, and the other circle from that of an Anglo family adopting a Native child. Each circle composes a list of fears, hopes, and assumptions.
4. Independent Writing & Reflection
  • Personal Essay: “Reflect on ways assimilation can both offer safety and erase identity. How does Allie’s story highlight resilience and loss at the same time?”

IV. IMPLEMENTATION TIPS & CLOSING PROJECT IDEAS
  1. Schedule & Timing:
    • Each session can last 1–2 hours, depending on reading/discussion intensity and participants’ ages. Adjust as needed.
  2. Reading Aloud & Group Sharing:
    • Encourage volunteers to read passages from the novel or the primary sources.
    • Use short, open-ended discussion prompts to foster critical thinking and empathy.
  3. Multimedia Integration:
    • Show scanned newspaper images, treaty documents, or archival photographs on a projector or print them out for hands-on analysis.
  4. Cumulative Portfolio / Project:
    • After working through all sessions, invite participants to choose a final project:
      • Historical Fiction Vignette: Write a short story expanding on a minor character from the novel or from real archival accounts.
      • Research Paper: Investigate one historical event in depth, using primary sources.
      • Creative “Artifact” Exhibit: Craft an exhibit (physical or digital) that links each event’s primary documents to relevant excerpts from the novel.
  5. Assessment & Reflection:
    • Build in reflection time at the end of each session, as shown in the “Khari and Ngozi” approach.
    • Encourage participants to share discoveries: “What did we learn today that changes our perspective on the novel—or on history itself?”

V. CONCLUSION
​Using this workshop structure, readers and writers alike will gain deeper insights into the novel’s historical underpinnings while honing their analytical and creative skills. By engaging with real primary sources in the public domain, participants can connect Bijii’s personal journey to the broader context of 19th-century America, ultimately appreciating how individual stories and sweeping historical forces are inseparable.
This plan follows the model of the “Khari and Ngozi” workshop in providing:
  • Engaging group activities (role-playing, debates, mapping)
  • Independent reflection (journals, creative writing, essays)
  • Direct integration of public-domain primary sources to illuminate the historical events that shape Bijii’s (Allie’s) story.
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