Aim. A writer’s aim is his or her purpose, or goal. People may write to inform, to tell a story, to reflect, to share a perspective, or to persuade. As you read Ten Bears’s speech, try to determine his aim.
Simile. A simile is a comparison using like or as. As you read, look for similes. Use a chart like the one to the right to track the similes you find. Put the main item being compared in the left column and the thing to which it is being compared in the right column.
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- History Connection. Chief Ten Bears (Parra-wa-sa-men) was a well-respected Yapparika Comanche chief in the 1800s. The Comanche and other Native nations were struggling to preserve their traditional lands in Wyoming, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico during this time. Many treaties with the United States government were made and broken as one or both parties violated the agreements.
- The United States considered the Comanche to be a violent threat to U.S. expansion and settlement. The Comanche had been experienced horseback riders since about 1700 and used their expertise in battles and in raids. The Texas Rangers were a group of white soldiers whose main role was to control and contain the Comanche. Many battles took place between the Comanche and the Texas Rangers.
- In 1867, Ten Bears made this speech at the Medicine Lodge Council. Ten representatives of the Comanche Nation signed the Medicine Lodge Treaty, which forced the Comanche onto a reservation in Oklahoma.
What would you do if you were forced out of your home?
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