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Traveling the Santa Fe Trail

Guided tour—Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site, Fairway

Grades—Seventh

East BuildingShawnee Indian Mission, created by the passage of the Indian Relocation Act of 1830, sits on the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon-California trails. In this guided tour the student will examine government policies in regards to relocated Indian tribes and travel on the Santa Fe and Oregon-California trails. The students will discuss the resistance from American Indians and how it was addressed.

What importance did the Santa Fe Trail play in the development of the nation and what was its purpose? What does the "clash of cultures" mean and how do we evaluate the impact of Manifest Destiny on American Indian culture.

Students will be engaged in hands-on activities using a variety of resources including secondary and primary sources while rotating through a variety of sessions and challenges

This tour fulfills grade specific standards for both Kansas and Missouri.

Kansas History, Government and Social Studies Standards

Standard #1 Choices have consequences

  • 1.2: The student will analyze the context under which choices are made and draw conclusions about the motivations and goals of the decision-makers.

Standard #4 Societies experience continuity and change over time

  • 4.1: The student will recognize and evaluate continuity and change over time and its impact on individuals, institutions, communities, states, and nations.

Kansas College and Career Ready Standards

  • RH 6-8.2: The student will determine the central ideas of information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
  • SL 7.2: The student will analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.

Missouri Show-Me Standards--Eighth Grade

  • Social Studies 2 continuity and change in the history of Missouri, the United States and the world
  • Social Studies 4 economic concepts (including productivity and the market system) and principles (including the laws of supply and demand)
  • Social Studies 5 the major elements of geographical study and analysis (such as location, place, movement, regions) and their relationships to changes in society and environment
  • Social Studies 7 the use of tools of social science inquiry (such as surveys, statistics, maps, documents

Missouri Communication Arts

  • RI.8.6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

Download PDF with tour information - Missouri Standards

Length of tour: approximately two hours.

Number of students in a group: For the best experience, we recommend no more than 30 students per tour.

For registration, prices, and scheduling: Contact the site administrator, 913-262-0867; Shawnee Indian Mission. Tours must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance.

Other guided tours available from Shawnee Indian Mission:

American Indian Homes in the Central Plains

Jumping Off to the Oregon Trail

Manifest Destiny and Its Impact on American Indian Culture