Kansas History Digital Breakout - Example
The Little House on the Konsa Prairie
March 4th, 1864
Dear Diary,
Today grandpappy told us a story about the Kanza Tribe, or best known as the KAW Indians. Did you know that it was normal to have two to three families living in a large dome-shaped earth lodge. There would be several of these lodges group together in villages. Each village had at least one chief that would look over the village. They were chosen to be chief due to their wisdom and bravery. Where our home is located once housed one of those villages. In 1846 the Kansa Tribe was forced to a reservation located around the area they call Council Grove. I wonder why they were forced to leave? Grandpappy said that President Jackson spoke in front of congress on December 6th, 1830 about the progress and benefits of Indian Removal. According to President Jackson Indian removal will separate the Indians from immediate contact with settlements of whites. It will also free the Indians from the power of the States. While enabling them to pursue happiness in their own way and under their own institutions. I don't see how they would be happy moving away from their home. I know I would be happy if I was forced to live somewhere else. |
March 10th, 1864
Dear Diary,
I am having a hard time understanding why President Jackson wanted to remove the Indians from their home. Grandpappy said that moving the Indian tribes to other location also forced the wildlife to move too. Did you know there use to be hundreds of buffalo roaming this prairie? My grandpappy when he was younger was friends with this old Indian man. The old Indian would tell stories to my grandpappy about how in his boyhood days he would chase the buffalo across the prairies, and hunted the elk in the groves. Where are they now? I see some elk from time to time but never any buffalo. The old Indian would tell my grandpappy that near approach of the white man has frightened all of the buffalo away. The deer and the turkey will go next, and with them the sons of the forest. |
May 1st, 1864
Dear Diary,
Today my older brother John left with his unit to help defend the Union Supply camp located near Mine Creek. John thinks it will take his unit six days to reach the camp at Mine Creek. They plan to average traveling ten miles a day. They want to make sure they get to the supply camp as quickly as possible without wearing out the horses. |
August 10th, 1864
Dear Diary,
Papa was worried today. I think he maybe worried about John. There has been a lot or reports of fallen union soldiers along the Kansas River. Papa thinks John's unit traveled along side the Kansas River during their travel to the Union Supply Camp. I still do not understand why we are fighting and why my brother had to go off and help defend the supply camp. Papa sat me down and tried to explain that ten years prior some act, I think he called it the Kansas-Nebraska Act was introduced by a Senator Douglas. Another act that was in effect, I do believe Papa called it the Missouri Compromise, which had outlawed slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act is suppose to reverse the previous act and will reverse outlawing slavery. Why would you want to own people? People are not property that can be traded or sold. They are people. Slavery just does not seem right to me. According to papa antislavery supporters such as grandpapy and papa were outraged because, under the terms of the Missouri Compromise of 1820, slavery would have been outlawed in both the Kansas and Nebraska territories. |
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Photos courtesy of the Kansas Historical Society, Kansas Memory, and Territorial Kansas.
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I will learn.