Read Chapter 2: The Shaping of a Nation: Constructing Race in America, and watch the videos The Fight to Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline Continues! and The Origin of Race in the USA. Then, respond to the prompts below:
- Chapter 2 introduces the first “stock story” to help us understand U.S. history and national identity. Briefly summarize the Turner Thesis and identify at least one other stock story associated with Columbus, colonialism, or westward expansion. Why do they remain so dominant even centuries later? What do you think can be done to disrupt them?
- Research shows that even online, our experiences are structured by race, class, and gender. Rather than challenging the racial status quo, the online world has ultimately reproduced it. Why do you think this occurs? Are there actions we can take to prevent this?
- The Dakota Access Pipeline has gained national attention for operating over federally recognized Indian land. The location is home to The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the Pipeline’s construction directly threatens sites of religious, cultural, and environmental significance. Proponents of the Pipeline state it will enable the United States to become more energy-independent. Opponents of the Pipeline state that it exploits important resources and reverses valued promises made by the federal government in relation to tribal land. Do you think the federal government would still build a pipeline if the proposed location happened to run through a predominantly white, middle-class neighborhood? Why or why not?
