Ota Kte, Shanice Britton assessment

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In 1879 a boy named Ota Kte who was a member of the Lakota Sioux Indian Tribe was sent on a train with many of his same people to be sent to Pennsylvania. However, there was a White man in the U.S. Army that was watching over the kids on the train. Ota Kte believed in one thing, and that was to never trust a White man. Captain Henry Pratt who was the white man in the train with many Native Indians, believed that Native Americans should have quality education. Pratt convinced the U.S government to get rid of the Pennsylvania army barracks and turn it into a Carlisle School, which was Americas first boarding school. They then gathered up 84 children including Ota Kte and were sent east with Captain Pratt. Pratt's plan to help Native Americans receive education didn't really turn out how he said was going to happen. Instead he wanted to strip all the Native Indians from there culture. He believed that children had to forsake their "Indian-ness" to be successful in America. In the article it mentions that Ota Kte was given a whole new look. His hair was cut short,his moccasins were taken away, and his tights were taken away. In return he was given wool uniform and black leather boots. Native Americans were made to feel like they didn't exist because many Native American children were forced to give up there culture and were forced to become people who they weren't in the inside. Native Americans make a big mark in history today. Different cultures are what makes people different. No human being should have to give up there life style,and there culture to become someone they know there not.

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B: What is the purpose of Shanice Britton’s essay? What does she want the readers to know about her and Native Americans living today?

Shanice's main purpose to writing this essay is to persuade many readers that having different cultures is what makes people unique. For example, in the text it talks about how people were so stunned on the fact that she was Native American. Many people figured that she lived in a teepee and wore moccasins with a headdress. But in reality she's just like any other teenager. She lives in a home with running water and electricity, wear jeans, watched Finding Carter on MTV just like a regular teenager. Shanice is a teenager that still does hobbies that her ancestors used to do long ago like, do beadwork and weave. Shanice also wants to inform readers like me how Native Americans pass down many traditions to because if they don't then certain parts of there cultures can vanish. She also gets into how Native Americans lifestyle changed over the years. There are 5.2 million Native Americans in the U.S and Shanice lives on a reservation witched was proved from the U.S government.