Photo portrait of Chief Lawyer of the Nez Perce tribe, taken about 1864. Washington State Historical Society Collection.

The amber color of an old newspaper. The tattered edges of a worn photograph. The indescribable quirkiness of an artifact whose purpose you can't name. These are some of the qualities and mysteries of old things that draw us into antique stores, into our chest of family memorabilia, and into museum exhibits. What if all of this could be brought into your classroom online?

The primary inspiration for this Treaty Trail website and curriculum was the 150th anniversary of the signing of the treaties between the United States and numerous Indian tribes in the Pacific Northwest between 1854 and 1856. Treaty negotiations between the U.S. and Indian tribes of the Northwest are major historic events that continue to influence our lives today.

Antone Minthorn, board member of the Washington State Historical Society and chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, has said, "While the Treaties are not necessarily a cause for celebration, this historic anniversary is certainly an appropriate opportunity to remember and honor the ancestors who signed the Treaties and to educate our youth and the public about these important documents." The Washington legislature agrees.

Tribal history and culture was considered to be such an important aspect of knowledge to be possessed by Washington state citizens that legislation has established guidelines. RCW 28A.230.090 states that any course in Washington state history and government used to fulfill high school graduation requirements shall consider including information on the culture, history, and government of the American Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state. RCW 28A.320.170 encourages each school district to incorporate curricula about the history, culture, and government of the nearest federally recognized tribe so that students learn about the heritage and culture of their closest neighbors.

Ideally the development of curricular materials should include collaboration with the tribes themselves, as well as the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. This is what we have attempted to do. A team of staff members from the Washington State Historical Society produced this site, in conjunction with outside consultants, Native American and non-Native scholars, and other researchers.

The curricular materials provided here are intended to serve public, private, and homeschool teachers working with elementary, middle, or high school students. All curricular materials were designed to help students to achieve Washington state's Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) appropriate to their grade level. To encourage the teaching of history in an interdisciplinary fashion, all lesson plans incorporate EALRs from not only history but also geography, language arts, or art. Some lesson plans are geared to helping students accomplish a Classroom-Based Assessment in history.

To begin, proceed to the lesson plan index and review materials that are appropriate for your student grade level. Most importantly, enjoy using the photographs, documents, and artifacts from our collections! If you like what you find, explore our other curricula at www.washingtonhistoryonline.org.