The Case of Thomas Becker: Using Knowledge of History as a Domain to Structure Pedagogical Choices

Thomas Becker sat at his desk, staring at the blank notepad and assortedhistory books and articles in front of him. Tomorrow, he was to begin a series of lessons on Andrew Jackson’s Indian-removal policies that would culminate in a look at the 1838 Trail of Tears, an experience in which approximately 15,000 southeastern Native Americans were forcibly marched to “Indian territory” (later known as Oklahoma) as a means of clearing land east of the Mississippi River for Anglo settlers.