Study Questions for Conquering a Continent (1861-77)

(From our textbook authors and your professor.)

Helen Hunt Jackson

1. Why didn't official reports that were critical of U.S. government policy toward Native Americans have a greater effect on the American public?
2. What was the importance of granting citizenship to Native American Indians?
3. What problems with granting citizenship does Jackson see?
4. What was Jackson's prescription for improved relations with Native American Indians?
5. How does Jackson's attitude toward the Native Americans differ from those reflected in U.S. policy toward Native American Indian groups?
6. How does the 19th century Native American experience compare to the experiences of other minority groups in the U.S. at the time, such as Black Americans in the south?