Native American History

[tateziwin]

Do American schools teach Native American History lessons?

 

[oldrooster]

They do, they teach it in history classes. There are many classes at the universities that you can take on a wide range of Native American subjects. I took one on battle stratagies of chiefs. Good class.

 

[wildthing]

They do, they teach it in history classes. There are many classes at the universities that you can take on a wide range of Native American subjects. I took one on battle stratagies of chiefs. Good class.

yeah I had two semester of Native American Studies. Something you don't get from a high school ed. Two tough semesters but did well enough to get on the dean's list. But still don't know everything. So what do you want to Know about Native Americans, tateziwin?

 

[applepowerpc]

We learned a lot about Texan tribes in Texas History class (required for all Texas 7th graders). I know about them. But....

Now I'm curious about the Canadian and Alaskan natives. Were there any Indian wars up there? I've noticed the North is very rich in Native American culture; it seems like they were peacefully assimilated.

 

[Lexluther]

In my opinin, it isn't taught adequately (at most schools, at least) unless you take a college course in the subject. In high school classes, Native American perspectives tend to be sidelined to a great extent, and accounts of many events, like the fall of the Aztec empire or the Sioux Wars, are told with a definite white man bias. Certainly native prehistory is often overlooked entirely. But I think these things are in a process of change. Fifty years ago, Native American history wasn't taught at all, or was taught from the basis that indian cultures really were inferior. So, what we have is a marked improvement, and I think will continue to improve as time goes by.

 

[Real Corona]

High School courses are increbily weak. At my school we only had a short two week part about the Natives in my Alaska History class. Basically American schools focus on European history and colonial history onward in America.


applepowerpc: The Alaska natives are broken down into 6 different groups. Inuit, Yupiak, Aluet, Tlingit, Haida and Athabaskin.

I know the least about the Athabaskin and I'm probably spelling there name wrong. The Inuit live along the North Shore of Alaska. Right now they're very very rich, however this has brought alot of problems to them. Imagine a culture that thrived based on barerly surviving. Now give them lots of money and a sedintary life style doesn't go together well.

The Tlingit and Haida were well known for fighting each regulary. They based their lives off the sea as their environment obivously dictated. Now they own large corporations with holdings in the Timber and Fishing industry of south east Alaska.

The Aluets did not fair so well. They were the hardest hit by the Russian advances into Alaska. Disease, slavery and the whole works. Then when the Japanese invaded the American government had a brilliant idea to move an mid ocean island people to the rainy South east area. They were given almost no help and dispite being less than 50 miles from the captial of Alaska were allowed to wither and die on Admiralty island.



If you're really interested check out the Alaska Native Claims act. Basically the Alaskan government went to the Native community and said which do you want, reservations or corporations? Smartly the Natives said Corporations and now they live the "white mans life" of rich and poor. With the rich looking down on the poor.

 

[oldrooster]

History in school is not very good, everything I learned I learned on my own....

 

[wildthing]

I really want to change that. I went back to school to get a teach cert. I think its time to improve on that there is a lot of lessen that can be taught. What is they say they who forget about the lesson of the past are bound to repeat them.

 

[oldrooster]

Kids should get taught far more than they do.

 

[Xen_Antares]

In my opinin, it isn't taught adequately (at most schools, at least) unless you take a college course in the subject. In high school classes, Native American perspectives tend to be sidelined to a great extent, and accounts of many events, like the fall of the Aztec empire or the Sioux Wars, are told with a definite white man bias. Certainly native prehistory is often overlooked entirely. But I think these things are in a process of change. Fifty years ago, Native American history wasn't taught at all, or was taught from the basis that indian cultures really were inferior. So, what we have is a marked improvement, and I think will continue to improve as time goes by.

I agree, usually we are taught that a bunch of naked heathens ruled the land until God almighty sent white man to kill them and take their land and teach them how to build towers and stuff. I learned more by visiting websites for the Cherokee than anything else.

 

[Agrippa]

I agree, usually we are taught that a bunch of naked heathens ruled the land until God almighty sent white man to kill them and take their land and teach them how to build towers and stuff. I learned more by visiting websites for the Cherokee than anything else.

I hear a lot of people saying that on this forum, but I was never taught anything like that here in New England. Neither my textbooks nor my teachers said anything of the sort and I have experience in both private and public schools.

 

[rglencheek]

Anyone born in the USA is a Native American.

The Amerindian tribes are Amerindian tribes.

 

[Real Corona]

What the hell are you talking about?

I've never heard that term before.

I have heard that some tribes want to be known as West Indians.


In Canada they're called First Nations.

 

[wildthing]

What the hell are you talking about?

I've never heard that term before.

I have heard that some tribes want to be known as West Indians.


In Canada they're called First Nations.

I never heard of "Amerindian". Could you please give us the source for this information so we can see wheather it has any merit at all?

 

[Kokopelli]

The majority of the history classes I had in Arizona hinted on it. Primarily George Armstrong Custer's brilliant defeat at Little Bighorn and the texts threw some Chiefs names out there. But it was typically the "poor white man being attacked by the savages" garbage that made it to the texts.

The Arizona history course, required for high school seniors, went into a bit more detail, mentioning the Anasazi, Hopi, Navajo, and Apache nations. I felt it was pretty lacking given the rich history of the people before the "white man" came to rape the land.

The best thing I can suggest is to follow what the other users have suggested. Take some college courses on the subject, google the topic (be careful about biased sources) and hit Amazon, etc for books. Taking an archaeology will provide some information (depending the course) regarding ancient American cultures. I remember going into a bit more detail with the Anasazi (hence my username and old avatar) civilization in the "four corners" area of the American South West.

This thread has sparked further curiosity to search for information on the nations that were in Florida before the arrival of the Spanish explorers .

 

[wildthing]

I think the real problem with First Nation History is that a lot of it is oral tradition. Us the rest of us have it written. You might agree with this or not, at this point is unimportant the oppinon that is. May I suggest an author for you to read Angie Debo good insight.