Chief Bowles Primary Source Investigation Name__________________________Homeroom_____________Date_____

Your Answers
Take a close look:

Content
What is happening?
Who is portrayed?
What is said about them?
Does it tell the whole story?
Is there any information about who
created it, or when and where it was
created?

Origin
Caption, date, or publisher?
If not, examine content for clues. What
is the context of this image? What was
going on at the time?
What was the purpose of this image?
Who was this source meant for? What
events, conditions or grievances might

Motive
have inspired the creation of your
image?
How are these things portrayed? What
does your source have to say about the
context in which it was created?
Does the source present a fair depiction
of people, events or conditions?
Or does it mislead by presenting false
or exaggerated information? Do you

Analysis
think the source represents the views of
a majority of people – or the views and
attitudes of a smaller group?
Does it mislead people in any way?
Does it glorify a particular leader while
ignoring their faults or failures?

1. Who put the historical marker in place? Do you think this influenced
what was put on the marker?

2. Knowing what you know about Chief Bowles, what do you think is left
off? What would you add to this historical marker?
This letter was written from Chief Bowles to Sam Houston, on August 16, 1836, just before Houston was elected as President of the Republic of Texas. Houston
and Bowl had a relationship that lasted for years. Houston was historically supportive of indigenous peoples’ rights, but the treaty he signed with Bowles was
disregarded by his successor to the presidency, Mirabeau Lamar. Bowles was killed in a battle with Lamar’s forces, wearing a hat and wielding a sword given to
him by his friend, Sam Houston

August 16th, 1836

Dear Brother I have had the pleasure 1. What is interesting about the LANGUAGE this is written
of receiving your letter which is great in? What does this tell us about Bowles?
satisfaction to us[.] [W]e would have been in
to have seen you long ago if we had of
_____ [known?] you had of been in [N]acogdoches but
we dare not to believe what we hear
2. Why didn’t Bowles meet with Houston at Nacogdoches?
for if were [we’re] to listen to half the tales that
What does this say about the situation the Cherokees
we hear we would _____ [?] in an unhappy
situation for we have heard that we must
found themselves in during this time?
all be killed right or [w]rong both by white and red[.]
[O]ur brother shawnees have given me great
charge not to travel the road for fear [of] being
waylaid and killed[.] [A]lso has been stated 3. What does this photograph and letter tell the reader
[illegible line] about Bowles’ IDENTITY?
_____ [?] and was [to] be put to death
because he was [w]riting [?] and said to be our
friends therefore he was no better than
us[.] [But Dear Brother I will not bother
your head with this altho I was afeared
4. Complete the hashtag based on what you’ve learned
that their [sic] might be some trough [truth]
about Bowles through this photograph and his letter:
in it but [I am] hoping that we will
all have an opportunity of conversing
#TexansAre____________________
face to face with you which [when]
the conversation will be of some lenth [length][.]
So we will closs [close] it to day expecting
to have the honor of us all meeting to
converse with you and yours.