The Untold Histories of Indigenous Groups in America

In order to understand "indigenous history," students will first need to understand that there is no such thing as one "indigenous experience." Instead, the Native American population consists of hundreds of unique indigenous groups with their own cultures, customs, and histories.

The struggle for indigenous ownership of land spans hundreds of years, and still continues today. Students will contextualize just how much land was taken from indigenous groups, and through what legal (and illegal) means.

Different indigenous groups adopted different methods of resisting oppression, including warfare, assimilation, and coalitions with other tribes and even foreign nations. This topic will demonstrate to students the many brave and honorable ways Native people protested their oppression, as well as the limitations of certain strategies.

Through this lesson, students will learn how Native people were subjugated to reservations with inadequate facilities and resources, and how the resources available on Native land continue to be restricted.

Many facets of our nation's popular culture, including sports, art forms, music, and beliefs, stem from indigenous cultures. Students will learn the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation in regards to Native culture.

This topic, often not highlighted in schools nor mainstream media, will provide students with an overview of the residential schools which Native children were forced into. Students will understand how these schools were intended to erase indigenous cultures and assimilate Native children into Western culture.