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Learning Objectives

  • Define sovereignty
  • Explain how sovereignty applies to Native American tribes in the U.S. 
  • Explain the relationship between the U.S. government and Native nations in the past and today 
  • Identify how national interests and Native sovereignty can clash 
     

Overview

The relationship between Native nations and the U.S. federal government is important to understand. This mini-lesson provides an overview of tribal sovereignty from the past to the present. It also introduces students to the controversy surrounding the federal approval of construction projects that affect tribal land.

How to use this lesson: Use this lesson by itself or pair it with more iCivics resources, like the Supreme Court case Lyng v. Northwest Cemetery Protective Association (1988) or our Tribal Government lesson. For more suggestions, see the downloadable teacher resources below.

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