Uncharted Territory: David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau

Learning Resource Guide

Overview:

Explorer, fur trader, and mapmaker David Thompson was a pivotal figure in the early

exploration of Canada and the Northwestern United States and is considered by many

as “the greatest North American land geographer of his time.” Thompson and his party

were the first Europeans to travel the full length of the Columbia River.

This documentary explores Thompson’s relationships with Native peoples of Canada

and North America and sheds light on his dynamic accomplishments as explorer,

astronomer, surveyor, and mapmaker. The documentary focuses on the years 1800-

1812—the time period that he explored the Kootenai area of Alberta, south through the

Inland Northwest and down the Columbia River to the pacific.

Subjects: Social Studies, History, Native American History, Pacific Northwest History,

Canadian History

Grade Levels: 6-9

Materials: Lesson handouts, laptops/handheld devices, website link:

http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/thompson/fur_trade.aspx

Learning Guide Objectives:

Construct a timeline detailing David Thompson’s significant life events and major

accomplishments based on reading a biographical informational text.

Analyze primary and secondary sources related to Thompson’s experiences with

the fur trade and as a geographer and mapmaker.

Washington State Social Studies Standards

EALR 3: GEOGRAPHY: 3.1. Understands the physical characteristics, cultural characteristics, and location of places, regions, and

spatial patterns on the Earth’s surface.

EALR 3: GEOGRAPHY: 3.2. Understands human interaction with the environment.

EALR 4: HISTORY: 4.1. Understands historical chronology.

EALR 4: HISTORY: 4.2. Understands and analyzes causal factors that have shaped major events in history.

EALR 4: HISTORY: 4.3. Understands that there are multiple perspectives and interpretations of historical events.

EALR 5: SOCIAL STUDIES SKILLS: 5.2. Uses inquiry-based research.

Common Core English Language Arts Anchor Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and

quantitatively, as well as in words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions,

demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

Lessons

I. Before the Film – David Thompson Timeline (45 minute lesson)

1. Warm-up: Briefly explain what a timeline is: a line that includes marks that shows

when particular events happened in the past. Show students images of different

types of timelines. Explain that timelines can be vertical or horizontal and can

include text and pictures. On the board, walk students through a timeline

highlighting significant events from your past summer (or other time period).

2. Timeline activity: In the class handout, students create a timeline describing

significant events from their past summers (or a time frame of your choosing).

Encourage them to include pictures and/or symbols. Give students about 10

minutes for this activity.

3. Pair Share Students present their timelines to a partner. They then complete a

Venn Diagram summarizing the similarities and differences between their

timelines.

4. David Thompson timeline activity: Put students in small groups. Depending on the

grade and reading levels: assign one of the following biographical texts, from:

a. Encyclopedia (beginner)

b. Oregon History Project (intermediate)

c. Northwest Journal (advanced)

If possible, cut up the text so that students can work together to put the

biography in its correct sequence. Students should read aloud at least one

paragraph from the text. After the reading is complete, each group should

create a timeline of the major events and accomplishments in David Thompson’s

life. The timeline should include the date/location of his birth and death. There

should be at least 6 events included in the timeline and 3 pictures.

5. Presentations. Each group presents their timelines. Each group member should

speak and share something they have learned.

6. Wrap-up: Students identify which part of David Thompson’s life they would like to

know more about and explain their choice.

II. Before the Film – Primary and Secondary Source Learning Stations (2 class periods)

1. Warm-up: Introduce the term “primary source”: a document or object from the

past created by people who lived during that time. Explain that primary sources

provide a view into an event or experience that only people living during that

time could have experienced. As a class, create a list of “primary sources”:

letters, diaries, maps, graphs, photographs, paintings/artwork, etc. Briefly discuss

“secondary sources” and give examples.

2. David Thompson primary/secondary source activity: Put students in groups of 4-5

students. Set up 4 learning stations in your classroom. Each “station” should have

2-3 computers and a folder with copies of the associated station activity.

Students should go to the David Thompson, Map Maker, Explorer and Visionary online exhibit and explore the primary sources: http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/thompson/index.aspx

Each station will focus on one section of the online exhibit:

a. Station 1: David Thompson and the Fur Trade

b. Station 2: North America’s Greatest Geographer

c. Station 3: The Later Years

d. Station 4: David Thompsons legacy

Give each group 15-20 minutes to explore one section of the online exhibit,

complete the station activity, and share their findings with the group.

a. Station 1 activity: Quote and image analysis

b. Station 2 activity: To Do List

c. Station 3 activity: Timeline

d. Station 4 activity: Bookshelf

3. Wrap-up: Have students turn to a neighbor and describe David Thompson in 3-5

sentences based on what they learned from their exploration of primary and

secondary sources.

III. During the Film

It is recommended to have students watch the video segments individually or

with a partner on a laptop or handheld device and then respond to the

comprehension questions. Students may need to watch the segments more than

once to complete the comprehension questions. You may choose to focus on

some or all the segments.

Segment One: Introduction

1. What are three major accomplishments that David Thompson is famous

for?

2. What was Thompson’s Salish Name? Why was he given this name?

3. Why do some historians consider Thompson the greatest land geographer

of his time?

4. What areas did Thompson map?

5. What was the uncharted territory Thompson was searching for in 1807?

Segment Two: The Fur Trade

1. What were the river highways of the fur trade?

2. What influenced the rise of the fur trade in North America?

3. Who was the backbone of the fur trade and how did they work?

4. What were the voyageurs’ transportation of choice?

Segment Three: Growing Up

1. Describe Thompson’s childhood and schooling. Included at least 3 facts

from the documentary.

2. How old was Thompson when he began apprenticing with the Hudson

Bay Company to work on the North American fur trade? For how many

years did he work as an apprentice?

3. How do you think Thompson felt when he landed on the shores of the

Hudson Bay?

4. What was the essential language of the fur trade and why was the fur

trade considered both a native and European world?

5. Where did Thompson go when he was 17? Who did he meet and what

did he learn?

6. What happened to Thompson when he was 19? Why was this a lucky

circumstance?

7. What other difficulty did Thompson face? Despite this struggle, what goal

was Thompson able to achieve?

Segment Four: The Northwest Company

1. Why did Thompson leave the Hudson Bay Company and sign with the

North West Company, its largest competitor?

2. Who was Charlotte Small? How did she help Thompson with the fur trade?

3. How were the Hudson Baby Company and the Northwest Company

different from each other?

4. Describe Thompson’s first surveying assignment with the Northwest

Company.

5. How would you describe the Kootenai tribe?

Segment Five: Over the Mountains

1. How did Thompson describe the Rocky Mountains when he saw them?

2. Why was traveling down the Rockies more difficult that traveling up the

mountains?

3. What was Thompson’s first priority after crossing the Rockies?

4. How was the ecosystem different across the mountains?’

5. What was the Kootenai House? Name one fact you learned about it.

6. What goods had Thompson’s crew traded for? What good did he refuse

to trade? Why?

Segment Six: Exploration

1. Who was Ugly Head? What areas did he and Thompson explore?

2. Why was Thompson always looking at the stars?

3. Why didn’t the tribes want to set traps in the winter?

4. How did Thompson describe the expedition to Bonner’s Ferry Idaho?

5. What type of canoe was unique to the Kootenai tribe? Why is it so

unique?

6. How did the climate and weather affect Thompson’s trade with the

native tribes?

Segment Seven: Challenges

1. Why did Thompson close the Kootenai House? Where did he travel next?

2. What were the three new trading posts Thompson established in his new

travels? What tribes were each house name for?

3. What kind of word lists did Thompson keep?

4. Why did the Piegan tribe block Thompson’s passage down the Columbia

River?

5. What became Thompson’s alternate to passing through the Rockies?

What was his crew’s mode of transportation?

6. What was the most challenge aspect of voyaging through the Athabasca

pass?

Segment Eight: Boat Encampment

1. What was the Boat Encampment? Describe this area.

2. Why was the canoe which Thompson built in this area so special? Include

Bill Brusstar’s findings in your answer.

3. What is the significance of the Spokane House?

4. How many miles of the Columbia River did Thompson survey? Why is this

considered important?

5. How did Thompson build relationships with the native tribes along the

Columbia River?

6. What is considered one of Thompson’s most memorable contributions to

history?

7. After he retired from the fur trade in 1812, what did Thompson spend the

next two years doing? Why was this considered an enormous

undertaking?

IV. After the Film – suggested activities 1. Map activity. Students create a map of David Thompson’s travels,

labeling his camps, trapping areas, fur trade routes, and areas he

mapped.

2. Interviews. Students create a mock interview featuring David

Thompson, Charlotte Small, or one of the native tribe elders. Students

prepare interview questions, costumes, and props for the interview. The

interviews can be presented in class or filmed and screened for the

class.

3. Museum visit. Arrange a field trip to a local history museum. Explore

exhibits on expeditions, mapping, and/or native tribes.

4. Research project – native tribes. Students select one native tribe

featured in the film (or within the local area) that they’d like to learn

more about. They conduct research on the tribe and share their

research findings through Facebook posts, blogging, scrapbooks, or

essays.

5. Debate: Students debate whether David Thompson’s interactions and

relationship with native tribes were beneficial or detrimental to the

tribes’ lives.

6. Inquiry project: Students develop a research question around

expeditions, exploration, the fur trade, European settlements, or Native

American Tribes. Students use multiple sources to research their

question and present their finds through presentations, podcasts, or

essay writing.

7. Journal writing: Students examine David Thompson’s journals,

dissecting the structure and content of his writing. Visit a local park or

natural environment with students and have them journal their

experience. Explore why journals are important historical documents.

8. Timelines: Have students create a timeline of their lives, from birth until

the present (or even imagining into the future), describing significant

events. Have them analyze what creating a timeline can reveal and

not reveal about a person’s life.

Handouts

Name: _________________________ Date: _____________________

Uncharted Territory: Before the Film

David Thompson Timeline

A. Timeline – 10 events from last summer

Think about your past summer vacation. Wasn’t it amazing? Below, write a timeline of 10

fun/significant/special events from that time. Start from the earliest event to the latest.

Make sure to include dates, pictures, and descriptions!

B. Pair Share

Present your timeline to a partner. In the chart below, summarize the similarities and

differences between your summer vacations.

C. Wrap-up

The event form David Thompson’s life I want to learn more about is…

Name: __________________________ Date: ____________________

Uncharted Territory: Before the Film

Primary and Secondary Sources Learning Stations

Station One Activity: Image & Quote Analysis

Directions: Read the journals and explore the personal drawings that can be found in

the “David Thompson and the Fur Trade” section of the online exhibit. Pick one

important quote and one interesting image you see and add them below. Next,

explain what the quote and image tell you about Thompson’s experience in the fur

trade.

Quote:

Image

Name: __________________________ Date: ____________________

Uncharted Territory: Before the Film

This tells me…

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

This tells me…

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Primary and Secondary Sources Learning Stations

Station Two Activity: To-Do List

Directions: A to-do list is a list of things that a person or organization needs or wants to

complete. Our “to-do” lists can tell others a lot about us (what is important to us, our

thoughts and feelings).

Read through the “North America’s Greatest Geographer” section of the online exhibit.

Write seven things that would be on David Thompson’s to-do list. The items on a “to Do”

list should reflect the time, culture, job, and traits of the person. For example, if you were

reading about ancient Egypt, a “Pharaoh’s To Do List” might include: 1.) Offer sacrifice

to Sun god. 2.) Hire architect to design pyramid.

David Thompson’s To-Do List

1. __________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________

4.___________________________________________

5.___________________________________________

6.___________________________________________

7.___________________________________________

Name: __________________________ Date: ____________________

Uncharted Territory: Before the Film

Primary and Secondary Sources Learning Stations

Station Three Activity: Timeline

Read through the “Later Years” section of the online exhibit. Create a timeline of the

major events that occurred in the later years of David Thompson’s life. Makes sure to

include images and descriptions in your timeline.

Name: __________________________ Date: ____________________

Uncharted Territory: Before the Film

Primary and Secondary Sources Learning Stations

Station Four Activity: Bookshelf

Read through the “Legacy” section of the online exhibit. Create “book titles” for books

that could be written about David Thompson based on the legacy he has left and the

accomplishments he has made.

Name: ____________________________ Date: ____________________

Uncharted Territory: During the Film

Comprehension Questions

Segment One: Introduction

1. What are three major accomplishments that David Thompson is famous for?

2. What was Thompson’s Salish Name? Why was he given this name?

3. Why do some historians consider Thompson the greatest land geographer of his

time?

4. What areas did Thompson map?

5. What was the uncharted territory Thompson was searching for in 1807?

Segment Two: The Fur Trade

1. What were the river highways of the fur trade?

2. What influenced the rise of the fur trade in North America?

3. Who was the backbone of the fur trade and how did they work?

4. What were the voyageurs’ transportation of choice?

Segment Three: Growing Up

1. Describe Thompson’s childhood and schooling. Included at least 3 facts from the

documentary.

2. How old was Thompson when he began apprenticing with the Hudson Bay

Company to work on the North American fur trade? For how many years did he

work as an apprentice?

3. How do you think Thompson felt when he landed on the shores of the Hudson Bay?

4. What was the essential language of the fur trade? Why was the fur trade considered

both a native and European world?

5. Where did Thompson go when he was 17? Whom did he meet and what did he

learn?

6. What happened to Thompson when he was 19? Why was this a lucky

circumstance?

7. What other difficulty did Thompson face? Despite this struggle, what goal was

Thompson able to achieve?

Segment Four: The Northwest Company

1. Why did Thompson leave the Hudson Bay Company and sign with the North West

Company, its largest competitor?

2. Who was Charlotte Small? How did she help Thompson with the fur trade?

3. How were the Hudson Baby Company and the Northwest Company different from

each other?

4. Describe Thompson’s first surveying assignment with the Northwest Company.

5. How would you describe the Kootenai tribe?

Segment Five: Over the Mountains

1. How did Thompson describe the Rocky Mountains when he saw them?

2. Why was traveling down the Rockies more difficult that traveling up the mountains?

3. What was Thompson’s first priority after crossing the Rockies?

4. How was the ecosystem different across the mountains?’

5. What was the Kootenai House? Name one fact you learned about it.

6. What goods had Thompson’s crew traded for? What good did he refuse to trade?

Why?

Segment Six: Exploration

1. Who was Ugly Head? What areas did he and Thompson explore?

2. Why was Thompson always looking at the stars?

3. Why didn’t the tribes want to set traps in the winter?

4. How did Thompson describe the expedition to Bonner’s Ferry Idaho?

5. What type of canoe was unique to the Kootenai tribe? Why is it so unique?

6. How did the climate and weather affect Thompson’s trade with the native tribes?

Segment Seven: Challenges

1. Why did Thompson close the Kootenai House? Where did he travel next?

2. What were the three new trading posts Thompson established in his new travels?

What tribes were each house name for?

3. What kind of word lists did Thompson keep?

4. Why did the Piegan tribe block Thompson’s passage down the Columbia River?

5. What became Thompson’s alternate to passing through the Rockies? What was his

crew’s mode of transportation?

6. What was the most challenge aspect of voyaging through the Athabasca pass?

Segment Eight: Final explorations

1. What was the Boat Encampment? Describe this area.

2. Why was the canoe which Thompson built in this area so special? Include Bill

Brusstar’s findings in your answer.

3. What is the significance of the Spokane House?

4. How many miles of the Columbia River did Thompson survey? Why is this considered

important?

5. How did Thompson build relationships with the native tribes along the Columbia

River?

6. What is considered one of Thompson’s most memorable contributions to history?

7. After he retired from the fur trade in 1812, what did Thompson spend the next two

years doing? Why was this considered an enormous undertaking?