Use the news: Native American marks a first
Lesson for grades 9-12
When Deb Haaland was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, she made history as one of the first two female Native Americans elected to Congress. This month she made history again. Haaland has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first Native American to be a member of a president’s Cabinet of advisers.
In the Cabinet Haaland will lead the Department of the Interior, which oversees natural resources, public lands and Indian affairs across the nation. The confirmation of the New Mexico Democrat was celebrated by Native American tribes and leaders. She is a member of the Laguna Pueblo Nation in New Mexico and comes from a family whose history in this country can be traced back 35 generations, the New York Times reported.
As the first Native American to lead the Interior Department Haaland feels she has a special role to play for native peoples. “It’s difficult to not feel obligated to protect this land,” she said during her confirmation hearings. “I feel that every
Indigenous person in this country understands that.”
President Biden has vowed to create a Cabinet and government that “looks like America,” with people of many races, ethnic groups and backgrounds.
Activity: In the newspaper or online, find and closely read stories about the President’s appointments. Use what you read to write a political column assessing the significance of the president’s appointments so far.
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