Push students past memorizing the Trail of Tears and into analyzing the arguments that made removal possible.
 
This structured Historical Thinking Lab guides students through the political reasoning, economic motives, and state sovereignty arguments surrounding the Indian Removal Act. Students examine historical perspectives, evaluate evidence, and build a supported written response using a clear Claim–Evidence–Reasoning framework. It’s designed to move discussion beyond “what happened” and into how policy decisions were defended and justified at the time.
 
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What Students Will Learn:
Analyze historical arguments and supporting evidence
Identify bias and perspective in political reasoning
Connect government policy to real-world consequences
Construct a clear Claim–Evidence–Reasoning response
Strengthen cause-and-effect thinking within historical context

What’s Included:
Ready-to-use Historical Thinking Lab (print + digital friendly)
Guided primary source analysis activities
Evidence sorting and evaluation tasks
Claim–Evidence–Reasoning writing prompt
Teacher instructions 
Answer key
 
Grades: 8-12
Duration: 2 Class Periods
DOK Level 3
Format: Paper