Sparkle Schoolhouse

FIFTY Study Page- Wisconsin "Love Finds You"

“LOVE FINDS YOU” is about an important decision that young Juliet McGill needs to make: should she go against her wealthy New York family’s request and marry a Wisconsin Territory fur trader and Indian agent? or should she return home and find someone "better suited" to her place in society? Her answer is made when she hears a story about a Native American woman named Glory of the Morning and her unlikely suitor.

Note: Though this is historical fiction and the characters have been developed to accommodate a story, their attributes and development may be useful as reference points and inspirations.

Topics for Investigation

Wisconsin History - History of Wisconsin Territory and Statehood - History of French Fur Trade and settling of Great Lakes region - Growth of Chicago from Fort to Town to City - Biographies of Juliet McGill and John Kinzie

Wisconsin Geography - Map of Great Lakes - Route from the town of Chicago to Winnebago Island

“Love Finds You” Study Topics - Leadership in Native American Tribes - especially Great Lakes Tribes - The role of the Indian Agent - Trade between tribes and French and English.

Topics for Reflection

From a Child Development Perspective:

In this story, your child might learn that:

• Growing up comes with the promise of many exciting adventures, but also with the responsibility of making decisions for yourself. Juliet knew that she needed to go out and explore the world and to leave New York, at least for a while. This was very exciting to her, but then she was faced with a great life question as to whether or not he should go against her parents’ wishes to marry the man that she loved. There is enough time in adulthood to decide the ‘big things’ for ourselves, so enjoy the comfort of mother and father and the grownups knowing what is best for you when you are young!

• The world is such a vast and colorful place, and there are so many interesting and exciting people to meet in it! Juliet discovered, in leaving the Northeast, a very different life when she traveled to Chicago. She discovered the ways of the Potawatomi people as well as the lives of fur traders! This was the world she had never known.

• We must look to the elders for wisdom end guidance when we lose our way. There are people in this world who have gained access to knowledge that comes from deep, deep within as well from realms beyond. We must listen to these people and make their life story part of our life story. Glory of the Morning was one such person whose life experiences were great teachers to be honored.

• Sometimes we find love and friendship in unlikely places. Glory of the Morning was just like the dawn, “living right at the edge of what her people could accept”, and falling in love with a Frenchman was certainly unexpected. Sometimes we cannot predict the people who will come into our lives to change us forever and with whom we feel a deep connection.

• “Love Finds You meant to her that a person cannot plan the perfect love - cannot make love happen on our terms - with the people we think we want. No - we don’t find love - it finds us.”

• The differences between and among people can bring them together, but we must respect and make room for the differences, too. One does not need to adopt the cultural beliefs of another person, but as long as there is mutual respect, then we can coexist. Glory of the Morning and John decided to part ways, but they did so with love and respect, while honoring their differences.

• Sometimes stories don't work out like we want them to, and that can feel complicated in our hearts. Juliet wanted John and Glory of the Morning to "live happily ever after" and she had mixed feelings that they parted way. However, there were many valuable gifts won from their separation.

“Well she continued to lead her people through several wars - wars between tribes - battles and treaties with the French, battles and treaties with the English and then battles and treaties with the Americans. She became a famous chief of her people and was known for her giddy smile. And they say that the source of her smile was the enduring love she had for Joseph - a love that could stretch across great distances and then beyond death.”