Native American History

Catalog description

HIST 153 provides students with an overview of the most important historical developments in the history of America's Native people, including first contact with Europeans, diplomacy and war, assimilation and cultural traditions, military service and the rise of Native casinos. While "knowing the facts" is obviously important to historical understanding, this course helps students develop critical thinking skills. These skills include: close and thoughtful reading and analysis of primary and secondary sources; looking for a broader coherence or "order" to the material; independent analysis and effective articulation (both in writing and in class discussion) of well-reasoned, well-crafted conclusions and interpretations and arguments (conclusions/interpretations/arguments which are supported by specific factual evidence derived from a variety of sources). The three specific course objectives underscore its scholarly dimensions: (1) Students will gain a knowledge and understanding of the diverse experiences of different groups of Native people. (2) Students will gain an understanding and knowledge of the political, economic, and social processes that shaped Native American history. (3) Students will learn how to "think historically" by placing documents written in the past in their historical contexts, and to consider the relationship of the past to the present. By the end of the course students will: Demonstrate an understanding of the chronology of Native America history. Demonstrate an understanding of the diverse experiences of different groups of Native peoples. Demonstrate an understanding of the social, political, and ideological structures that shaped the history of Native peoples and continue to shape the modern United States.