Walini 1888 Cherokee
Smithsonian Institution

Schedule and Reading Assignments

Syllabus in printable PDF format

Tu	Sept	04	Introduction – What's in a Name?
Th	Sept	06	“Pre-history” or, Columbus who? READ: First Peoples , pp. 1-30, Picture essay on pp. 56-62.
Fri	Sept	07	Discussion 1 – Always bring your textbook to discussion!!! Why do words matter? Give some examples of how word choice, technical terms, or names affect the way we view and/or understand a subject.
Tu	Sept	11	Early Contacts – Spanish Invasions READ: First Peoples , pp. 33-43, 63-78, 96-105
Th	Sept	13	Early Contacts – French and English Invasions READ: First Peoples , pp. 78-92, 109-130
Fri	Sept	14	Discussion 2 Indigenous peoples are often expected to conform to stereotypes of what “real Indians” are like. Yet even a quick survey of the history makes it clear that they had to change and adapt in order to survive. What specific examples from the reading illustrate this point? PRESENTATIONS: • Navajo Emergence story ( First Peoples, 33-43) • Genesis 1-3 • Declaration of Indian Juan ( First Peoples , 106-108) QUIZ – Peoples and Places (Maps I.1, 1.3, 2.1 plus tribal names from lecture)
Tu	Sept	18	The Iroquois Confederacy Guest Speaker: A. Brian Deer (Kahnawake Mohawk) READ: First Peoples , pp. 44-55 Myers, “Frozen Thoughts, Frozen Feelings” (e-reserve)
Th	Sept	20	Gender and Christianity READ: Plane, “Sarah Ahhaton” (e-reserve) First Peoples , 121-130
Fri	Sept	21	Discussion 3 Why did some indigenous peoples convert to Christianity? Why did others resist? Does converstion to Christianity make an indigenous person less “Indian”? PRESENTATIONS: • Two Views of King Philip ( First Peoples , 121-130) • Plane, “Sarah Ahhaton” • Myers, “Frozen Thoughts” (e-reserve)
Tu	Sept	25	Trade, War and Diplomacy READ: First Peoples , pp. 137-155, 164-171
Th	Sept	27	The American Revolution or, Liberty for Whom? READ: First Peoples , pp. 155-160, 172-198
Fri	Sept	28	Discussion 4 How do the readings for this week support or disrupt the dominant paradigm of American colonization as an inevitable clash of cultures, or the triumph of “civilizaiton” over “savagery”? PRESENTATIONS • A Captive with the Senecas ( First Peoples , 164-171) • The Revolution Comes to the Cherokees ( First Peoples, 172-180) • Treaty of Fort Finney ( First Peoples , 181-192)
Tu	Oct	02	Sovereign Nations within a Sovereign Nation READ: First Peoples , pp. 199-209 Clifford, “Identity in Mashpee” (e-reserve) – start Pt 1 of 4 Pt. 2 of 4 Study guide for this article
Th	Oct	04	The Mashpee Trial READ: Clifford, “Identity in Mashpee” (e-reserve) - finish Pt 3 of 4 Pt. 4 of 4
Fri	Oct	05	Discussion 5 What is sovereignty? Who can claim it? What are the criteria for membership in a sovereign nation, and who gets to define those criteria? Is it useful to make a distinction between (ethnic) identity and group membership? PRESENTATIONS: • “Identity in Mashpee” -- Mashpee perspective • “Identity in Mashpee” -- New Seabury perspective QUIZ on the Mashpee trial rescheduled for next week.
Tu	Oct	09	Monday schedule – no class
Th	Oct	11	The Cherokee Nation and Removal READ: First Peoples , pp. 209-221, 240-249 Newcomb, “500 Years of Injustice”
Fri	Oct	12	Discussion 6 Onondaga lawyer Tonya Gonella Frichner has said that indigenous peoples fare better when they negotiate rather than litigate in the U.S. courts, “because your laws are not our laws.” Based on this week's readings, do you agree or disagree with this statement, and why? PRESENTATIONS • Foundations of Federal Indian Law ( First Peoples , 240-249) • “500 Years of Injustice” QUIZ on the Mashpee trial; see study guide.
Tu	Oct	16	Midterm Exam
Th	Oct	18	Race and Manifest Destiny READ: First Peoples , pp. 225-238 Barbie, “Sacagawea” (e-reserve)
Fri	Oct	19	Discussion 7 What is ideology? Which comes first, ideology or action? In other words, do people act from deeply held beliefs, or do they articulate beliefs to justify their actions? What is the relationship between ideology and culture? PRESENTATIONS: • The Lewis and Clark Expedition ( First Peoples, 225-238) • Barbie, “Sacagawea” (e-reserve)
Tu	Oct	23	Westward Expansion / New Invasions READ: First Peoples , pp. 259-281, 294-325
Th	Oct	25	The Global Reach of Manifest Destiny Guest Speaker: Harry Franqui-Rivera (History Dept., UMass Amherst)
Fri	Oct	26	Discussion 8 How did indigenous peoples express and assert sovereignty in the 19 th century? What factors illustrate the expansion of U.S. hegemony during this period? PRESENTATIONS: • Treaty of Fort Laramie ( First Peoples , 294-313) • Chief Joseph's Plea for Freedom ( First Peoples , 314-325) \|
Tu	Oct	30	Boarding Schools – “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” READ: First Peoples , pp. 335-351 Carlisle Indian Industrial School website
Th	Nov	01	Looking In, Looking Out READ: First Peoples , pp. 367-373, 367-76 Chrystos, “Anthropology”
Fri	Nov	02	Discussion 9 In what ways did Carlisle Indian Industrial School help or hurt its students? If you were a parent, would you have sent your children to Carlisle? PRESENTATIONS: • Dismantling Tribes and their Homelands ( First Peoples , 367-373) • An Indian View of the Indian Bureau ( First Peoples , 374-376) • Chrystos, “Anthropology”
Tu	Nov	06	Progressive Era Activism READ: First Peoples , pp. 351-363, 377-396
Th	Nov	08	The Indian New Deal READ: First Peoples , pp. 397-403, 426-436 Silko, Ceremony (start)
Fri	Nov	09	Discussion 10 What were some arguments for and against the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924? Should American Indians be treated like any other citizens? Are they/should they be part of the great American “melting pot”? PRESENTATIONS: • Luther Standing Bear ( First Peoples , 380-384) • Zitkala-Ša ( First Peoples , 384-389) • Two Views of the IRA ( First Peoples , 426-436)
Tu	Nov	13	The Laguna Pueblo Context of Ceremony Guest Speaker: Ron Welburn (Gingaskin/Assateague/Cherokee) English Dept., UMass Amherst READ: Silko, Ceremony (finish)
Th	Nov	15	The Western Shoshone and the ICC READ: First Peoples , pp. 403-406
Fri	Nov	16	Discussion 11 Identify some specific ways in which land and identity are linked in Ceremony and in Broken Treaty . Should indigenous peoples be able to keep others from using / trespassing on sacred places? PRESENTATION: • Treaty of Ruby Valley, 1863 PAPER DUE: Ceremony
Tu	Nov	20	Film: Broken Treaty at Battle Mountain Note: Plan to stay an extra ten minutes for the end of this 60 min. film.
Th	Nov	22	Thanksgiving holiday – no class
Fri	Nov	23	Thanksgiving holiday – no class
Tu	Nov	27	Termination and Relocation READ: First Peoples , pp. 406-414, 438-445
Th	Nov	29	The American Indian Movement READ: First Peoples , pp. 414-22, 447-455
Fri	Nov	30	Discussion 12 Should American Indians be grouped with other “people of color” in histories of the Civil Rights Era? In what ways did they share common causes with other groups? In what ways were/are their struggles unique? PRESENTATIONS: • Indians in the Cities ( First Peoples , 438-445) • Documents of Indian Militancy ( First Peoples , 447-455)
Tu	Dec	04	UMass and The Kahnawake Survival School READ: First Peoples , pp. 520-526 KSS History
Th	Dec	06	Sovereignty and Survivance READ: First Peoples , pp. 456-463, 527-536, 538-541
Fri	Dec	07	Discussion 13 In terms of political rhetoric, is it more useful for indigenous peoples to represent themselves to the dominant society as victims or as people with agency? What are the implications of each strategy? PRESENTATIONS: • Wilma Mankiller ( First Peoples , 530-532) • Oren Lyons ( First Peoples , 533-536)
Tu	Dec	11	Current Issues READ: First Peoples , pp. 464-504
Th	Dec	13	Review for Final Exam
Fri	Dec	14	Discussion 14 What are the most important themes of this course? What would change if more information about indigenous peoples were included in U.S. History courses?

NOTE: To locate articles on e-reserve, go to the main course index and look up Professor Nash. The password for the class is hist170.