This play occurred at a time very different from today. Lewis and Clark were tasked to learn about the Indians so we could understand their culture and their beliefs. There are 670 tribal nations in the U.S. today. One of the things to learn about is their dress. Today there are many stereotypes when we teach about Native Americans. We used primary sources to learn about their culture but unfortunately we do not have sources written by Native Americans because they did not have a written language at that time. The primary source of information for the expedition are Lewis and Clark’s journals. The expedition goal was to learn about the Native Americans and establish good relations with them. However, we all know that what ended up happening to the Native Americans was one of the darkest parts of our history. Many were killed and most lost their land and their culture by being forced on to reservations. We teach history so it doesn’t repeat itself, just as we teach about the horrors of slavery and the Holocaust. To omit teaching about the Native Americans at the time of the expedition would be detrimental. Learning about other cultures is critical and their beliefs, dress, and tribal roles at that time can only help teach others about what was destroyed by the white men. Again, we teach history so it doesn’t repeat itself.
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