We Are Americans--21st Century
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The Kindle Version is linked above and the PDF version is linked here: Gabriel and Anita
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 Gabriel and Anita, primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of migration, cultural exchange, conflict, and resilience.
Session 1: Pueblo Origins and Migration
Session 2: Spanish Colonization of New Mexico
Session 3: The Pueblo Revolt of 1680
Session 4: Mexican Independence and the Southwest
Session 5: The U.S.-Mexican War and the Annexation of New Mexico
Session 6: Bureau of Indian Affairs and Pueblo Governance
Session 9: New Deal Indian Policies and the Indian Reorganization Act
Session 10: The Chili Line Railroad and New Mexico’s Economy
Session 11: The New Mexico National Guard and Military Service
Session 12: World War II and the Bataan Death March
Session 13: Filipino Guerrilla Fighters and Japanese Occupation
Session 14: “Comfort Women” and War Crimes
Session 15: The War Brides Act and Post-War Migration
Conclusion: Bringing History to Life
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 Gabriel and Anita, primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of migration, cultural exchange, conflict, and resilience.
Session 1: Pueblo Origins and Migration
- Objective: Understand the origins of the Picuris and Taos Pueblo peoples and their migration stories.
- Group Activity: Discuss traditional origin myths and migration narratives of the Pueblo peoples.
- Independent Activity: Write a personal or fictional migration story inspired by the discussed myths.
- Primary Sources:
- "The Mythology of the American Indians" by Charles Leland (1884): https://archive.org/details/mythsofamericanindians
- Picuris Pueblo Oral Histories: https://www.nativeoralhistory.org/tribe-community-culture-group/pueblo-picuris
Session 2: Spanish Colonization of New Mexico
- Objective: Examine the impact of Spanish colonization on Pueblo communities.
- Group Activity: Analyze excerpts from Spanish missionary journals to understand colonial perspectives.
- Independent Activity: Reflect on the readings and write a diary entry from the viewpoint of a Pueblo individual during colonization.
- Primary Sources:
- Fray Alonso de Benavides’ Memorial of 1630: https://archive.org/details/memorialoffrayal0000mrse
- Documents from the Archivo General de La Nación de México: https://libguides.unm.edu/c.php?g=1115611&p=8134403
Session 3: The Pueblo Revolt of 1680
- Objective: Explore the events and significance of the Pueblo Revolt.
- Group Activity: Read and discuss primary source documents detailing the revolt.
- Independent Activity: Compose a fictional letter or diary entry from the perspective of a participant in the revolt.
- Primary Sources:
- "Primary Source Documents on the Pueblo Revolt, 1680": https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/108137/overview
- Declaration of Pedro Naranjo: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/the-pueblo-revolt-of-1680-declaration-of-pedro-naranjo/
Session 4: Mexican Independence and the Southwest
- Objective: Analyze how Mexican independence affected Pueblo communities.
- Group Activity: Debate the perspectives of different groups during the transition from Spanish to Mexican rule.
- Independent Activity: Write an essay on the changes experienced by the Pueblo peoples during this period.
- Primary Sources:
- Documents from the Archivo General de La Nación de México: https://libguides.unm.edu/c.php?g=1115611&p=8134403
Session 5: The U.S.-Mexican War and the Annexation of New Mexico
- Objective: Investigate the war's impact on Native land rights.
- Group Activity: Analyze the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and discuss its implications.
- Independent Activity: Research and write a report on specific land disputes involving Pueblo communities post-annexation.
- Primary Sources:
- The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848): https://www.loc.gov/law/help/us-treaties/bevans/b-mx-ust000008-0111.pdf
Session 6: Bureau of Indian Affairs and Pueblo Governance
- Objective: Discuss government control over Native governance.
- Group Activity: Compare traditional Pueblo governance structures with Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) policies.
- Independent Activity: Write a reflective piece on the effects of BIA policies on Pueblo self-governance.
- Primary Sources:
- BIA Reports on Pueblo Administration (19th Century): https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/dup/assets/as-ia/ofa/petition/005_pimati_NM/pet_narr/005_NARR_1992_PetitionofTiwaTribe.pdf
- Objective: Examine the effects of forced assimilation through boarding schools.
- Group Activity: Analyze letters from students of the Carlisle Indian School to understand their experiences.
- Independent Activity: Compose a fictional letter from the perspective of a student attending a boarding school, reflecting on the challenges faced.
- Primary Sources:
- Carlisle Indian School Student Letters (1890s): https://carlisleindian.dickinson.edu/student-experience/letters
- Objective: Understand the introduction of alcohol and its effects on Native American communities.
- Group Activity: Read historical reports on alcohol use in Native communities and discuss its societal impact.
- Independent Activity: Write a character monologue exploring the struggles of alcoholism in Native communities.
- Primary Sources:
- Report on Alcohol and Native Communities (1920s): https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh22-4/253.pdf
Session 9: New Deal Indian Policies and the Indian Reorganization Act
- Objective: Analyze how Roosevelt’s policies affected Pueblo self-governance.
- Group Activity: Debate whether the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) benefited or harmed Pueblo communities.
- Independent Activity: Write a persuasive essay taking a stance on the IRA’s impact.
- Primary Sources:
- John Collier’s Reports on Pueblo Reforms (1934): https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/anthropology74/ce8.htm
Session 10: The Chili Line Railroad and New Mexico’s Economy
- Objective: Investigate the role of railroads in Native and Hispanic communities.
- Group Activity: Read historical accounts of the Chili Line and create a group timeline of its impact.
- Independent Activity: Write a historical fiction story about traveling on the Chili Line.
- Primary Sources:
- Santa Fe Railroad Documents (1880s): https://chileline.org/history
Session 11: The New Mexico National Guard and Military Service
- Objective: Learn about the contributions of Native Americans in military history.
- Group Activity: Read letters from New Mexican soldiers and discuss their experiences.
- Independent Activity: Write a fictional letter from a Pueblo soldier to his family.
- Primary Sources:
- New Mexico National Guard WWII Letters: https://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/military/wwii-letters/
Session 12: World War II and the Bataan Death March
- Objective: Examine Gabriel’s experience and historical realities of Bataan.
- Group Activity: Read firsthand accounts of the Bataan Death March and discuss the hardships faced.
- Independent Activity: Write a fictional diary entry from a soldier forced to endure the march.
- Primary Sources:
- Eyewitness Accounts of the Bataan Death March: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/bataan-death-march-a-survivors-account.html
Session 13: Filipino Guerrilla Fighters and Japanese Occupation
- Objective: Compare Indigenous resistance in the Philippines with the Pueblo Revolt.
- Group Activity: Discuss the role of guerrilla fighters and Indigenous resistance movements.
- Independent Activity: Write a comparison essay between a Filipino guerrilla and a Pueblo Revolt warrior.
- Primary Sources:
- Interviews with Filipino WWII Guerrilla Fighters: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.48617/
Session 14: “Comfort Women” and War Crimes
- Objective: Understand the fate of women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.
- Group Activity: Read testimonies from Filipino Comfort Women and discuss their impact on history.
- Independent Activity: Write a fictional letter or diary entry from the perspective of a survivor.
- Primary Sources:
- Testimonies of Filipino Comfort Women: https://www.awf.or.jp/e1/facts.html
Session 15: The War Brides Act and Post-War Migration
- Objective: Explore how war changed migration patterns and families.
- Group Activity: Read War Brides Act legal documents and discuss how war reshaped families.
- Independent Activity: Write a fictional letter from a war bride adjusting to life in America.
- Primary Sources:
- War Brides Act Legal Documents (1945): https://www.loc.gov/law/help/statutes-at-large/79th-congress/session-1/c79s1ch591.pdf
Conclusion: Bringing History to Life
- Final Project: Participants will write a short story or personal essay incorporating at least one historical event from Gabriel and Anita and present it in a closing session.
- Reflection: Discussion on what participants learned about history, storytelling, and cultural identity.