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When Marquette and his men left the Illinois, they went on down the river. The friendly Illinois had told them that the Indians they would see were bad, and that they would kill anyone who came into their country.

The Frenchmen had heard before this that there were demons and monsters in the river. One day they saw some high rocks with pictures painted on them. The ugly pictures made them think of these monsters. They were painted in red, black, and green colors. They were pictures of two Indian demons or gods.

Each one of these monsters was about the size of a calf. They had horns as long as those of a deer. Their eyes were red. Their faces were like a man's, but they were ugly and frightful. They had beards like a tiger's. Their bodies were covered with scales like those on a fish. Their long tails were wound round their bodies, and over their heads, and down between their legs. The end of each tail was like that of a fish.

The Indians prayed to these ugly gods when they passed in their canoes. Even Marquette and his men were a little frightened when they saw such pictures in a place so lonely. The Frenchmen went down the river about twelve hundred miles. Sometimes the Indians tried to kill them, but by showing the peace pipe they made friends. At last, they turned back. Joliet went to Canada. Marquette preached to the Indians in the West till he died.

Directions

Study the lesson for one week.

Over the week:

  • Read the story multiple times.
  • Review the synopsis.
  • Study the vocabulary words.
  • Learn the concepts.
  • Complete the enrichment activities.
  • Study the review questions.

Synopsis

Marquette and Joliet continued their journey down the great Mississippi. They saw pictures of scary monsters painted on high rocks. Some of the American Indians they encountered were not as welcoming as the Illinois. Marquette and Joliet avoided fighting with wary American Indians by showing the peace pipe they received from the friendly Illinois.

Vocabulary

Demon: An evil spirit or devil.
Frightful: Scary.
Ceremonial (Peace) Pipe: A tobacco pipe offered and smoked as a token of peace among North American Indians.
Preach: Publicly state or teach a religious message or belief.

Concepts

In the story, Marquette and Joliet and see pictures of scary monsters painted on high rocks. The drawings on the rocks are examples of American Indian art.

Additional examples of American Indian art include:

  1. Baskets woven from wood, pine needles, braided grasses, bark, and roots.
  2. Colorful patterned blankets and rugs woven from cotton or wool.
  3. Ceramic pottery made from clay, that is shaped and heated and painted.
  4. Beadwork, where beads of shells, coral, stones, metals, animal bones, or teeth are sewed on leather or made into jewelry.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Narrate the Story

  • After reading or listening to the story, narrate the story events aloud using your own words.

Activity 2: Draw the Story

  • Draw the scary monster that Marquette and Joliet see painted on the rocks.
  • The monster had the following characteristics: 1) horns as long as a deer's, 2) red eyes, 3) an ugly human face, 4) tiger beards, 5) fish scale-covered bodies, and 6) long tails wound round their bodies, the end looking like a fish tail.

Activity 3: Color the Story   

  • Click the crayon above, and complete page 8 of 'History Coloring Pages for First Grade.'

Activity 4: Study the Story Picture

Study the painting below, 'Indian Canoe.' Zoom in to see the details, and find the following:

  • American Indian
  • Canoe
  • Sandy beach.
  • Trees.
  • Double-arch rock formation that extends into the water
  • Sun

What time of day do you think it is? Do you think it is noon? (Sunrise or sunset, it is not noon, the sun is too low in the sky.)

Do you think it is a windy day or a calm day? Use evidence from the painting to back up your answer. (It is calm. The water in the painting is calm and flat. The wind does not bend the trees.)

Review

Question 1

How do Marquette and Joliet travel down the Mississippi river?
1 / 3

Answer 1

Marquette and Joliet travel by canoe.
1 / 3

Question 2

What scary things do Marquette and Joliet see?
2 / 3

Answer 2

Marquette and Joliet see scary monsters painted on rocks.
2 / 3

Question 3

How do Marquette and Joliet avoid fighting unfriendly American Indians?
3 / 3

Answer 3

Marquette and Joliet show the peace pipe given to them by the friendly Illinois.
3 / 3

  1. How do Marquette and Joliet travel down the Mississippi river? Marquette and Joliet travel by canoe.
  2. What scary things do Marquette and Joliet see? Marquette and Joliet see scary monsters painted on rocks.
  3. How do Marquette and Joliet avoid fighting unfriendly American Indians? Marquette and Joliet show the peace pipe given to them by the friendly Illinois.

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