George Catlin is considered one of the foremost chroniclers of the Native American experience in the early 19th century, and his dramatic and honest paintings form the main part of this virtual exhibit produced by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In the 1830s and 1840s, Catlin journeyed throughout the American West documenting the transformation of different Native American groups, particularly of those forced west as of a result of the Indian Removal Act. Thirty-two of those paintings are featured within this exhibit, including those of several prominent Mandan chiefs and General William Clark. Designed specifically for educators, the Catlin Classroom area of the site contains contributions from a set of educators, Native Americans, and scholars who convened to provide commentaries on the life and work of George Catlin, along with lesson plans that incorporate materials available on the Web site and from the full exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.