Time Machine
Boone and Crockett: The Hunter Heroes (2 parts)
They are two of the most famous figures in American history and folklore. Often confused, these two legends are separated by a half-century and different eras of American history. Each is identified with his time. Boone is the exemplar of the independent patriot, the early American in the Jeffersonian model. Crockett is the common man often associated with Jacksonian America. Together, their legacy exemplifies the rugged spirit of American individualism and the American frontier. Boone and Crockett: The Hunter Heroes would be useful for classes on American History, American Culture, American Folklore and Geography. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.Objectives
Students will explore the legacy and history of the American West. Through the stories and lives of Boone and Crockett, they will understand the expansion of the American nation and the gains and losses associated with that expansion. They will examine the legacy of that expansion for Native peoples as well as Americans.
National History Standards
Boone and Crockett: The Hunter Heroes fulfills the following National Standards for History for grades 5-12: chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretations, and historical research capabilities for United States History eras 2, 3 and 4.
Discussion Questions
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The American West lured generations of settlers and pioneers. Why was the West so alluring? What did it promise?
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Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett are a part of American folklore. What is folklore? What other Americans would you consider part of American folklore?
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Compare and contrast Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.
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How did the narrative of Daniel Boone’s life mirror the narrative of the young republic?
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Although by all accounts Daniel Boone was a family man, he was away from his family much of the time. Discuss the difficulties Rebecca Boone, Daniel’s wife, faced in her marriage.
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Daniel Boone’s peers were a unique and hardy group. Discuss the characteristics of Boone and his companions. What made them well-suited for their adventurous lifestyles?
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Discuss the importance of the hunter’s rifle to his success and survival.
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Discuss the difficulties Boone and other hunters faced in earning a living.
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Daniel Boone paid dearly for his lifestyle. What did his occupation and adventuresome spirit cost?
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Daniel Boone suffered financial losses because of his patriotism. What did his patriotism cost him?
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What were the “bloody sevens?”
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Why was salt so important to the settlers?
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Discuss the concept of American exceptionalism.
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Discuss the role of American literature in ensuring the legends of Boone and Crockett.
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Davy Crockett had a difficult childhood. How did his childhood shape him?
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Crockett was a poor and barely literate man. How did his background contribute to his understanding of the dynamics of class in Jacksonian America?
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Crockett, a hunter, became a politician. How did Crockett get into politics?
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What were Crockett’s political qualities? Why did voters like him?
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Discuss how Davy Crockett exemplified Jacksonian America.
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Davy Crockett opposed the policy of Indian removal. Why? What price did he pay for his convictions?
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How was Crockett trapped by his own legend at the Alamo?
Extended Activities
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Design monuments celebrating the lives and spirits of Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.
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Imagine that you lived at the same time as Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett. What would your life be like? Create a report chronicling a day in your life.
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Hunters decorated their powder horns so they became personalized objects of art. Create a design for a powder horn that reflects your life and personality.
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Create timelines for Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett that illustrate the major events in their lives.
Related Videos
Primary Sources
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Follow this link (http://earlyamerica.com/lives/boone/) to the Archiving Early America website to read Daniel Boone’s autobiography.
Air Dates
