Research Paper Prompt: You will each complete a five-page (minimum, not including Works Cited Page) essay examining a treaty between a Native American Tribe and the United States Government. As stated in the course syllabus, this assignment is a major factor in your course grade.

Learning Goal: I’m working on a writing question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

ETST 007: INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES IN

COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

Research Paper Prompt: You will each complete a five-page (minimum, not including Works

Cited Page) essay examining a treaty between a Native American Tribe and the United States

Government. As stated in the course syllabus, this assignment is a major factor in your course

grade.

Topic: Each of you will be assigned a treaty between an American Indian Tribe and the U.S.

Government to research. Your research will require engagement with the textbook, online resources

and government archives. Your Essays should follow the following outline.

Introduction: Information in this section should include-

-A brief summary of the content of the paper.

*Since the subject of this paper is historical in nature, a “snap shot” of the

time period could help the reader with placing the subject in time/period.

Background: Information in this section should include-

-Who are the parties involved?

-Research your selected tribe’s cultural practices. Does the treaty process

align with or conflict with the tribe’s traditional values?

(worldview, gender roles, social order, relationship with the

environment/land)

-Characterize the historical relationship leading up to the treaty.

Key Treaty Provisions: Information in this section should include-

-What are the provisions of the treaty?

-What concessions do either party make?

-What compensation or services are being offered in return?

Outside Agendas: (Optional)

-Did you find actual quotes or historic documentation that contradict the

intentions of the treaty? Could these “outside agendas” have affected the

provisions, concessions and compensation offered in the treaty

negotiations? Could this have affected the success of the relationship

between the treaty signing entities?

Treaty Outcome: Information in this section should include-

-Were the provisions of the treaty adhered to?

-Was the treaty in effect for an extended period of time or was it

re-negotiated at a later date?

-Did one or both sides violate the terms of the treaty?

Conclusion: Information in this section should include-

-Similar to the Introduction, your Conclusion should include a brief

summary of the content of the paper. However, your Conclusion should

also restate the two or three main points of your essay and a final

statement that characterizes the overall significance of treaties in Native

American and U.S. history.