BOOK GUIDES
Native Ways of Knowing Literature Circle Discussion Questions
Use these discussion questions for each chapter of Cherokee Nation: A History of Survival, Self-Determination, and Identity . These questions are designed to encourage critical thinking and analysis of the book's themes, arguments, and connections to broader environmental and social justice movements.
Chapter 1: Since the Beginning of Time Origins and Early Culture
1.How did the Cherokee people's matrilineal society influence their social structure and governance? 2.In what ways did the Cherokee's spiritual beliefs and connection to the land shape their cultural identity? 3.Discuss the significance of the seven Cherokee clans and their roles within the community. 4.How did early interactions with European settlers begin to impact Cherokee society and culture? 5.What role did oral traditions and storytelling play in preserving Cherokee history and values? 6.How did the Cherokee adapt their traditional practices in response to environmental and social changes?
Chapter 2: Frontier Contact and Conflict: 1765-1794 European Contact and Adaptation 1.What were the immediate and long-term effects of European colonization on the Cherokee Nation? 2.How did the Cherokee engage in trade and diplomacy with European powers, and what strategies did they employ? 3.In what ways did the introduction of European goods and technologies alter Cherokee daily life? 4.Discuss the Cherokee's efforts to maintain sovereignty amidst increasing European encroachment. 5.How did the Cherokee legal and political systems evolve in response to European influence? 6.What challenges did the Cherokee face in balancing tradition with the pressures of assimilation? Chapter 3: Rise of the Cherokee State: 1794-1828 Cherokee Centralized Government, Legal System, and Political Identity 1.What does the phrase “Rise of the Cherokee State” mean in this chapter? How did the Cherokee Nation define itself as a political state during this period? 2.How did Cherokee leaders respond to increasing pressure from the United States and surrounding states between 1794 and 1828? What strategies were used to protect land, sovereignty, and community stability? 3.Why were written laws, a constitution, and formal government structures important for the Cherokee Nation at this time? How were these decisions acts of self-determination rather than assimilation? 4.How does this chapter challenge the idea that Native Nations lacked complex governments or political systems? What evidence from the text supports this challenge? 5.What tensions existed between maintaining Cherokee cultural traditions and adapting to new political realities? How did Cherokee leaders navigate these tensions? 6.In what ways did the developments described in this chapter lay the groundwork for later conflicts, including removal? How does understanding this period help explain what comes next in Cherokee history?
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