Option 1: Write a paragraph explaining how these two passages—one from Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee describing the Sand Creek Massacre and the other from The Pioneer Girl reflecting on the experience of westward expansion—differ in their portrayal of the impact of westward expansion on Native Americans and settlers. Use text evidence from each excerpt to support your ideas and inferences.

Question

Use this graphic organizer to plan your response:
A – Answer: (think about the tone of each passage and the differences in each writer's experience. Consider the difference in perspective.)

These two passages differ in their reflection of westward expansion because the first experience shows__________________, while the second shows__________________.

C – Concrete details/evidence from passage 1: (what is the BEST quote that demonstrates the specific experience of the writer?

For example, in the first passage the writer states “____________________________.”

E – Explain in your own word

Answer 1

A – Answer: These two passages differ in their reflection of westward expansion because the first experience shows the brutal consequences faced by Native Americans, while the second shows the optimism and opportunities that westward expansion represented for settlers.

C – Concrete details/evidence from passage 1: For example, in the first passage, the writer states, “The soldiers slaughtered over 150 peaceful Cheyenne, including women and children, despite their cries for mercy.”

E – Explain in your own words: This quote highlights the horrific violence and the tragic loss of innocent lives during the Sand Creek Massacre, illustrating the dark and brutal reality of westward expansion for Native Americans, who were often victims of aggression and betrayal. In contrast, the second passage from The Pioneer Girl reflects a more hopeful perspective, envisioning the West as a land of promise and opportunity where settlers could build new lives and communities. This juxtaposition reveals how while settlers often viewed westward expansion as an adventure and a chance for prosperity, Native Americans experienced it as a violent upheaval of their way of life, resulting in profound suffering and loss.