Last updated: February 22, 2022
Lesson Plan
Buffalo Soldiers - Klondike Gold Rush
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- G2.5.1, G3.5.1, H2.5.2, H3.2.2, H4.4.4, E1.3.2, SSS3.4.1, G1.6-8.3, G1.6-8.4, G1.6-8.6, G2.6-8.3, H1.6-8.4, H2.6-8.3
Essential Question
Who were the Buffalo Soldiers and what role did they have in the Klondike Gold Rush?
Objective
Students will:
• Conduct research about the Buffalo Soldiers and the Western frontier
• Think critically about law, order, and racial tensions in the 1890s
• Write a paragraph about what they learned about the Buffalo Soldiers
Preparation
Materials Needed
- Internet or library access for research
- Map of the US states and territories from 1890-1900
- Pencil or pen
Lesson Hook/Preview
Who were the original protectors of the National Parks before the National Park Service was established? Why was the military sent up to Alaska during the gold rush? How did the people in the towns feel about the Buffalo Soldiers?
Procedure
Engage
The United States has a long and complicated history, like many other nations today. But what historical events have shaped the foundation of our society and have influenced what it means to be an American? The 1861-64 American Civil War is one such event. What was the Civil War about? Why did people fight? Who won, and what happened after the war ended? Why is it important for us to know this history?
Explore
The Civil War brought African American and White American Union soldiers together to stop the Southern secession and bring an end to slavery, but even while “together” African Americans and White Americans remained separated in segregated units in the army. Though the Union won and slavery was ended, discrimination and racism persisted, and even the army maintained segregated infantry units until 1948. During that time, a lot happened regarding the Western frontier, relationships with Native American tribes, public lands, and even the Klondike Gold Rush. Why might African Americans have gone into the army?
The Western frontier, or everything west of the Mississippi River including states like California, Oregon, and Washington, was the last section of the continental United States to be explored and settled by Anglo Americans. Many different groups were sent to colonize the West and “protect” its natural resources from illegal logging and from the indigenous peoples already inhabiting the land. One such group was the all-African American cavalry and infantry regiments. Having earned the nickname “Buffalo Soldiers” from the Plains Indians for their fierceness in battle, the Buffalo Soldiers worked their way west to guard the land. What does the buffalo symbolize for the Plains Indians? How do you think the Buffalo Soldiers felt about the nickname? Yellowstone, the first National Park, was established in 1872 – long before the National Park Service was created. The Buffalo Soldiers were responsible for protecting Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Sequoia National Parks before the first official Park Ranger existed. What is important about their role with the early national public lands? Why are stories of African American involvement in the outdoors important? Give students time to look at the maps and find any other public lands that the Buffalo Soldiers might have protected. Which Native American tribes did they forcibly remove? On whose ancestral lands are Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Sequoia National Parks? Where are those tribes today?
During the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897-1899, the mass influx of people up to Alaska and Canada brought crime and civil unrest. Domestic disagreements and border disputes with Canada led to the US sending Buffalo Soldiers to the towns of Skagway and Dyea, which had grown significantly with prospectors moving through the area. While there, the Buffalo Soldiers enforced peace, protected people and property, and waved the American flag. They even formed a local baseball team and played against other teams in the region and from nearby towns. How do you think the Buffalo Soldiers were treated by the prospectors in Alaska? What challenges might the soldiers in Skagway and Dyea have faced that other Buffalo soldiers did not? What might have happened if the US did not send any soldiers up north during the gold rush?
Explain
The role of African Americans and Black people in the formation of the National Park Service and events like the Klondike Gold Rush are often buried and do not get the attention they deserve. The cover up of influential people like the Buffalo Soldiers combined with the Jim Crow laws from 1877-1964 (which kept Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) out of natural spaces like National Parks) has resulted in a disconnect between BIPOC and the American wilderness. Our past, our present, and our future are all connected, and if we want to be a just and equal place, we have to acknowledge our past in its entirety and learn from it.
Elaborate
Have students research other things that the Buffalo Soldiers were involved in. Where else did they serve? How long did the regiments exist? Are there any monuments anywhere in the US dedicated to them? Where and why? Ask students about motivation to join the army today. How has the army changed since the Civil War? Why do people join the army today?
Evaluate
Have students think of the story of the Buffalo soldiers and write a short reflection paper. What is one thing you learned about their role in the National Parks? What about their role in the Klondike Gold Rush? Why is it important to know this history? How can we make their story more well known?