Read the title and first sentence of the story summary below. What is an Indian chief? What do you know about the Indians of the 1700s?
Read the introduction and story summary below. What was the connection between Chief Cornstalk and the Mothman?
Read the introduction and story summary below. What was the connection between Chief Cornstalk and the Mothman?
The story of Chief Cornstalk
Chief Cornstalk was an Indian chief who lived in the Point Pleasant area in the 1700s. One day, the chief decided to make peace with the white soldiers. But when he went to their fort with a peace party, the soldiers put him in prison. While Chief Cornstalk was in prison, Indians killed a white man somewhere near the fort. Chief Cornstalk didn't have anything to do with the murder, but shocked and angry soldiers entered the prison and killed him.
As he was dying, the Chief put a 200-year curse on Point Pleasant.
Chief Cornstalk died in 1777, and for two hundred years, it seemed like Point Pleasant really was cursed. Tragedy after tragedy hit the area until 1978 — the year that the curse ended. Some of the tragedies were the result of natural disasters like floods and tornadoes. There were also fires and explosions and terrible accidents. So when the Mothman appeared and Silver Bridge collapsed, some terrified people believed it was part of the curse. Was the Mothman part of the curse? Did it cause the collapse or did it come to warn people about it? One thing is certain — the fascinating legend of Chief Cornstalk and the Mothman mystery will live on for generations.
Chief Cornstalk
Chief Cornstalk was an Indian chief who lived in the Point Pleasant area in the 1700s. One day, the chief decided to make peace with the white soldiers. But when he went to their fort with a peace party, the soldiers put him in prison. While Chief Cornstalk was in prison, Indians killed a white man somewhere near the fort. Chief Cornstalk didn't have anything to do with the murder, but shocked and angry soldiers entered the prison and killed him.
As he was dying, the Chief put a 200-year curse on Point Pleasant.
Chief Cornstalk died in 1777, and for two hundred years, it seemed like Point Pleasant really was cursed. Tragedy after tragedy hit the area until 1978 — the year that the curse ended. Some of the tragedies were the result of natural disasters like floods and tornadoes. There were also fires and explosions and terrible accidents. So when the Mothman appeared and Silver Bridge collapsed, some terrified people believed it was part of the curse. Was the Mothman part of the curse? Did it cause the collapse or did it come to warn people about it? One thing is certain — the fascinating legend of Chief Cornstalk and the Mothman mystery will live on for generations.
Chief Cornstalk
Years have passed and many unanswered questin remain. Does anyone really know who the Mothman was? Is it all just a myth, or is there more to this confusing mystery? Maybe we'll never know, bu there is one interesting theory.
Find sentences in the text with similar meanings to the sentences below.
1. Years later, people still haven't answered many questions.
2. Chief Cornstalk wanted to stop the war between the Indians and the white men.
3. Chief Cornstalk wasn't responsible for killing a white man, but soldiers killed him anyway.
4. People won't forget about the Mothman and Chief Cornstalk for a long time.
Write the sentences in the correct order according to the text.
1. Many terrible things happened at Point Pleasant.
2. Soldiers put Chief Cornstalk in prison.
3. Chief Cornstalk wanted to make peace with the white men.
4. Some soldiers entered the prison to kill Chief Cornstalk.
5. The curse ended.
6. Chief Cornstalk arrived at the white soldiers' fort.
7. Some Indians killed a white man.
8. Chief Cornstalk put a curse on the area.
