Remember Little Bighorn, maintains the momentum of this award-winning
National Geographic series, which continues to set new standards in
nonfiction history books for middle-grade students.
Author Paul Robert Walker draws on scores of eyewitness accounts of the
Battle of the Little Bighorn from Indians, soldiers, and scouts,
measuring their testimony against the archaeological evidence to
separate fact from fiction. From this wide kaleidoscope of testimony,
the author focuses his narrative into an objective and balanced account
of one of the most contentious chapters of American history.
Covering the core curriculum topics of Westward Expansion and the Indian
Wars, Walker's text is a vivid and timely historical narrative to mark
the 130th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 2006.
Readers first learn about events preceding the fighting, including the
discovery of gold on Indian land in the Black Hills, the refusal by
Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and other Indian leaders to obey a government
order to live on the Great Sioux Reservation, and the subsequent battle
in Rosebud Valley. The narrative evolves to the three major clashes
known collectively as the Battle of the Little Bighorn: the attack by
Major Reno on Sitting Bull's village, the "Custer Massacre" in which
Crazy Horse and more than a thousand warriors wipe out George Armstrong
Custer and his immediate command, and the final battle on Reno Hill,
which culminates in the victorious Sioux and Cheyenne setting fire to
the grass and moving up the river.
The afterword explains how the greatest Indian victory only hastened
their final defeat, as news of Custer's fate enflamed public opinion and
led Congress to give control of all Sioux agencies to the Army. Readers
learn how Sioux rations were cut off until native claims to the Black
Hills and Montana hunting grounds were renounced.
In the finest National Geographic tradition, the book illuminates this
controversial period in American history with extensive use of primary
sources. Some 50 archival images are included, several by Native
Americans, plus a map showing troop and Indian movement. Remember
Little Bighorn also features a comprehensive time line of Indian Wars,
web sites, student-friendly resources, and a quick-reference index that
make it an ideal source for writing reports.
National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core
Resources.
Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.
