Week Five Reflections: Challenge To Survive Units 3 and 4

Challenge to Survive Unit 3 left me with a deep sense of  sympathy for the Flathead tribes. The accounts in the text make it appear the Salish were victims of their own appeasement to the white man. The tribes were also blatantly taken advantage of by politicians. Repeated through the sources is a reference to the Salish never having taken a white man's life and  always protecting them from the less than friendly tribes. So in the Native perspective formed by their simplistic view of life, why is a treaty needed if nothing is wrong? In a politician's perspective, a treaty is needed to manipulate the tribes to their liking. The sources also frame the Salish as friendly people who would never take advantage of anyone and therefore believe no one would take advantage of them. Time and time again a politician's promises are not upheld and time and time again the Salish can't seem to phantom someone would not be true to their word. The tribe's appeasements to the political demands was for the purpose of preserving their economic independence but to me it seemed to come at a high price.

Challenge To Survive Unit 4 lead me to wonder, when will Unit 5 be available? Upon reading Unit 4, I am eager to find out in more detail how allotment policies affected the economic, social, spiritual, and cultural lives of the Flathead tribes.
Unit 4 also left me with more questions than it seemed to answer.
1. Why are there no dates for the photos of the Natives?
2. Were the Indian police predecessors of today's B.I.A.?
3. Why was July 4th chosen for a major celebration? Doesn't that date celebrate the independence of a nation that is trying to take over the Native nations?
4 .The word assimilation is never referred to in these units. However, aren't the comments of the boy and girl quoted in Unit 4 Section D reflective of assimilation?
This unit proved to be reflective and thought provoking. Although too advanced for kindergartners, it has piqued my interest in getting answers to the above questions.

I must also thank one of my classmates for giving me an "ah-ha" moment. I have  always wondered why the reservations I travel through appear different in appearance and social climate and her observation made it finally clear to me why. The Flathead tribe's goal of economic independence would have led the reservation to look and feel different from those who are dependent on government assistance. Thank you for your enlightenment, Pam.