What do you know about What do you know about America’s first NATIONS?America’s first NATIONS?

Collected by Alina Morelli

What is colonization?

•The act of settling into an area that may already be

inhabited.

•The action of subjugating a people.

•The act of ruling over and/ or controlling a people in a given

area.

•To form or establish a colony.

When colonization of the Americas began, the relationship

with the settlers was good.Native people taught them:

to farm to live off the land

to survive the winters &how to heal themselves with Native Medicines

The settlers were invited to participate in sacred

Ceremonies.

Native Americans taught the settlers to bathe for

hygienic purposes.

At the time bathing was outlawed in many places

in Europe!

When Columbus first arrived in the Caribbean, he described the Native

people in the area as “warm, bright, intelligent, and of the most faithful

people to God that I have ever seen.”

Columbus and his men were welcomed by the

Native people until they began to enslave them, making men, women, and children find gold

with NO PAY.

When the Native people resisted, they were

killed. Columbus defended his actions by saying that the Native people were “simple-minded, barbaric, and

godless.”

Invented a New Attitude toward Native American People Land

The people were seen as

• Slaves• No longer human• Not worthy of

compassion• In the way of Manifest

DestinyThe land was seen as• Free for the taking• Rich with resources• Property of Europe’s

governments and religious leaders

Native American’s religious ceremonies were OUTLAWED.

PART II:Acts of CULTURAL

GENOCIDE

WHAT IS GENOCIDE?(1)The practice of extermination

of nations and ethnic groups as carried out by invaders.

(2) The destruction of the national pattern of the oppressed group; the other, the imposition of the national pattern of the oppressor. ~LEMKIN

(3) Currently, "genocide" is commonly defined as "acts committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnical, racial or religious group."

Population Before…Population Before…At the time of first European contact, North and

South America was peopled by more than 90 million American Indians:

Population of Native American at the Time of European Contact

United States

Mexico

Central America

Caribbean Islands

S. American Andes

S. America (rest)

10 million in America;10 million in America; 30 million in Mexico;

11 million in Central America; 445,000 in the Caribbean islands;

30 million in the South American Andean region; and9 million in the remainder of South America.

Population of Native American at the Time of European Contact

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

United States

Central America

S. American Andes

Reg

ion

Population in MILLIONS

S. America (rest)

S. American Andes

Caribbean Islands

Central America

Mexico

United States

Population After Contact…Population After Contact…

In the year 2000 census the Native American In the year 2000 census the Native American and Alaskan Native population was 2,475,956 and Alaskan Native population was 2,475,956

(3 times the number in 1970).(3 times the number in 1970).

In 1990 the census stated In 1990 the census stated 1,959,2341,959,234

In 1970 833,333 Native people in the US.In 1970 833,333 Native people in the US.

In the mid and early 1800’s the population in In the mid and early 1800’s the population in the US was around half a million people.the US was around half a million people.

Population of Native Americans in the United States

10,000,000

500,000 833,3331,959,234 2,475,956

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

1400's early 1800's US Census1970

US Census1990

US Census2000

Years

Pop

ulat

ion

There were over 700 tribes with their own

cultures, religious beliefs,

governments, and traditions.

Each tribe may have had similarities, but

they were in essence 700 different countries.

today there are over 500 federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States.

                                         

WHAT HAPPENED TO WHAT HAPPENED TO NATIVE PEOPLE????NATIVE PEOPLE????

•Famine

•Disease

•Forced Assimilation

•Warfare

•FORCED REMOVAL FROM THEIR HOMELANDS

Trail of tears- 15,000 Cherokee and other neighboring tribes were forced to move to

Oklahoma. Many people died along the way of starvation and cold. 4,000 PEOPLE DIED ON THE NEW LAND BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW

TO SURVIVE.

In 1838 Congress passed the Indian removal act, which forced Native Americans off their HOMElands.

In 1975 alone, Indian Health Services permanently sterilized some 25,000 Native American

women--many after being coerced, misinformed, or threatened. The

population was drastically affected.

On September 8, 2000, the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

formally apologized for the agency's participation in the "ethnic

cleansing" of Western tribes and the forced sterilization of Native women.

GERM WARFARE• Native American people were given

blankets contaminated with the deadly smallpox virus.

• It has been estimated that at least 300,000 were killed in this manner.

Lord Jeffrey Amherst ordered that blankets

infected with smallpox be distributed among enemy tribes, and the

order was acted on. SMALLPOXSMALLPOX

The American Holocaust

• The newcomers did not understand the different way that Native people lived.

• Out of their ignorance many violent acts were committed, permanently destroying many parts of Native American culture.

•Missionaries and government officials used boarding schools as methods to destroy the cultural identity of thousands of Native American people.

Boarding Schools

Apache children from Arizona shipped to Pennsylvania

Boarding Schools-After

Native people could not practice their own religion.

They were forced to convert.

Their hair was cut and traditional tribal clothing was taken away.

They were not allowed to speak their own language, and were physically punished if they did not listen.

They were taken far from their homes and

families. The Apache students four months later.

Native children were forced to go to boarding school, and if they escaped, which many tried, bounties were often offered to return them.

Rationale Behind Boarding Schools

“Kill the Indian, save the man.”Indian culture was inferior. Indian religion was inferior.“It is cheaper to Americanize the Indian than kill the Indian using the army.”

The separation between the

children and their communities

contributed the breakdown of the

Native families and Native culture

The children couldn’t speak their language, and therefore, often could not communicate with their parents, grandparents, and other community members when they finally returned home.

Tom Torlino (Navajo) as he appeared upon arrival to the Carlisle Indian School, October 21, 1882, & Tom later.

ADOPTION•Native American

children were at times taken from their homes and adopted into white families

•They often never even knew the were Native American

• IMAGINE THAT!

Native people waited over 400 years for basic RIGHTS

• Suffrage 1924

• 1970’s and 80’s- Repatriation Act was enforced to some extent

• 1977 the Indian Child Welfare Act was passed

• 1978 Freedom of Religion Act was passed

Eagle feather is to Native Americans

(different feathers as well to many tribes)

• As crucifix is to Christians

• As Mecca is to Muslims

• As the Star of David is to Jewish people

• IN OTHER WORDS SACRED, HOLY, BLESSED

The Basic Indian Stereotypes

By Joseph Riverwind (Creek/Seminole) Few of us lived in tipis, wore feather bonnets, or fought like "braves.“

We had no inherited royalty.

We did not smoke a peace pipe.

We did not whoop.

We do not pound a drum or "chant" primitively.

We do not have shamans.

We do not worship nature.

We do not all have spirit animals or funny "Indian names."

The Essential Facts About Indians Today

• "Indian" is a legal and political status, not a race.

• Indians have essentially a dual-citizenship status.

• Tribes all have separate governments. • Tribes all have their own tribal

constitutions. • Tribes are different from each other, but

have some things in common because of their relationship to the federal government.

• Indians are contemporary people. • Indians are very diverse, and more than

half live in urban settings. • Indians are not all rich because of casinos.

By Terry Straus http://www.bluecorncomics.com/essntial.htm

What is an Indian Reservation?• Land managed by a

Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs– The US government

owns the land– Land cannot be sold

• Established when White Americans and American Indians signed treaties– transfer of land; – forcibly taken from

the American Indians

• Native Americans have limited national sovereignty– Laws on tribal lands may

vary from the surrounding area

– Laws can permit legal casinos on reservations, which attract tourists.

• There are about 300 Indian reservations in the United States– Not all of the country's

550-plus recognized tribes have a reservation — some tribes have more than one reservation, others have none.

Native American Issues Today

• Loss of cultural objects• Loss of traditions through

forced assimilation• Poverty on reservations

– Connected to drug use and abuse

• Unemployment on and near reservations

• Choice between reservation and off-reservation life

• Racism: mascots, unequal treatment, etc..

• “Playing Indian,” wearing regalia as costume

• Outlawing religious practices

• Using sacred symbols as mascots or putting them on products to sell.

• Destruction of sacred sites and graveyards

• Mocking

Misinformation about Native American culture has been

spread worldwide, which has lead to:

• I really don’t like the fake cartoon and illustration in Indian books that are here in the school library. My name is Monica Spencer and my tribe is Navajo, Laguna, Kiaoni and Pueblo, all full blooded. It makes me mad when children make fun of my culture. It makes the kids think we do that when we don’t. When the children grow up I don’t want them to think that Indians put feathers in their hair and dance around the fire. We don’t do that. And I don’t think that it is right for the kids to look at the silly things they put in those silly books. One day I saw a kid running around with a feather in their hair and putting their hand to their mouths and making weird noises and I cried when that happened. So what I want you to do is put those books away and learn about our real history.

Notable Author: Joseph BruchacJoseph Bruchac writes

novels, poetry, children’s books, and short stories. He is a professional storyteller. He is dedicated to honoring nature, relating the history and conserving the legends and myths of North American Native people. His work has appeared in more than 500 publications, including the Smithsonian and National Geographic.

Awards given to Joseph BruchacKnickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature-

Rockefeller Humanities fellowship-Hope S. Dean Award for Notable Achievement in Children's Literature-Virginia Hamilton Literary Award-1998 Writer of the Year Award-1998 Storyteller of the Year Award from the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers-1999 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas.

Bruchac, J. (2005). Code talker. New York: The Penguin Group.

• Reading Level: 6.4• Summary: Ned Begay and other

Navajo men had been taught in a boarding school run by whites that the Navajo language was useless. They were recruited by the Marines to become Code Talkers. They sent messages in their native tongue during WWII. The Navajo Code Talkers were a crucial part of the US effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language.

Activities

-Do a comparison study of different Native American tribes so students understand that not all Native Americans wore the same clothing, ate the same food, lived in teepees, etc.

-After researching Native Americans, have the students complete a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting their lives to the Native Americans long ago.

- Let the students pick which tribe they would like to research with a small group. They can present how their tribe contributed to the white man’s survival in a strange land.

Themes

• Nature

• Adversity

• Survival

• Traditions

• Family

• Change over time

NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH SERVICES LITERATURE

AWARD• The children's book award was created as a way to identify

and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians.

• Books present Native Americans in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts.

• The First American Indian Library Association Native American Youth Services Literature Awards were selected and presented in 2006.

• Winners were chosen in three categories: • Picture Book • Middle School• Young Adult

Notable Author: Paul Goble

• Is an award winning author and illustrator of children's books. • Grew up in England, where he developed a deep interest in the

culture of the Plains Indians. • He was greatly influenced by his adoptive father, Chief Edgar

Red Cloud, and other Native American people.• In 1977, he came to live and study in the Black Hills of South

Dakota.• He became intrigued with their spirituality and culture, and his

illustrations accurately depict Native American clothing, customs and surroundings.

• He has published more than twenty-eight books.

Awards given to Paul Goble• Caldecott Medal winner. • His books have won praise from:

-American Library Association-National Council of Social Studies-International Reading Association -Children's Book Council-Library of Congress' Children's Book of the

Year award-Reading Rainbow selection by Public

Broadcasting.

Her Seven BrothersBy Paul Goble

A Cheyenne star legend of the creation of the Big Dipper. A young Indian girl has a dream about her seven brothers who lived far away. She creates seven sets of moccasins and shirts, somehow knowing that she must go in search of the seven brothers. When she arrives, the smallest brother is waiting for her, he too, has power from the spirits to see and know special things. The Chief of the Buffalo Nation wants the young Indian girl to join him, but she will not go. The buffalo keeps insisting for her to come with him, but the girl refuses. As a result, the buffaloes charge them. The youngest brother shoots an arrow into the sky and a pine tree appears, growing higher and higher. They all climb into the sky and become the stars of the Big Dipper.

Activities• This book would be a good read-aloud during a unit on

Native Americans, but would also work well on a unit discussing stars and the explanations different cultures give for their existence.

• Students can randomly stick several metallic stars on a piece of black construction paper. Students can connect the stars with a white crayon, and then create their own legend about the constellation.

• Make a buckskin vest out of a brown paper bag. Compare and contrast a variety of Native American legends by drawing pictures of the legends on the vest.

Sherman Alexi

• Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian

• Grew up on Spokane Indian Reservation

• nominated for a 2008 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Young Adult Fiction

• Won the 2007 National Book Award for

Young People's Literature • Just 2 of 5 nationally

recognized awards

“Flight” – by Sherman Alexi“Flight” looks at life through a

young boy who is on the brink of committing a serious crime. When at the bank, Zits, the main character, begins time traveling and jumping in to the bodies of other people. Through his experiences, he is able to see life and identity through a different window, thus altering the way he lives.

Activities• Character map the characters that Zits becomes in

order of their appearance in the book. • Fiction writing assignment: Choose a person that

needs to make a change, identify the problem and how to correct it, think of characters this person would need to understand in order to change the problem, and explain in the conclusion how one decision could change your life if you had the understanding before.

• Write to someone living in a Native American reservation with questions

Websites• Author: Joseph Bruchac

http://www.josephbruchac.com• This website provides information on Joseph Bruchac, who is a

notable author dedicated to honoring the Native American culture. Bruchac is also available to go to schools to tell stories to students. A book list and purchasing information is also included.

• WWW Virtual Library - American Indians: Index of Native American Resources on the Internethttp://www.hanksville.org/NAresources

• This website serves as an index of Native American Resources that can be found on the Internet. There are links to various activist sites, nations, culture, language, museums, etc.

• Teaching Young Children about Native Americans. ERIC Digest.http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-4/native.htm

• This website provides information on how to teach children about the Native American culture and their way of life. There is a discussion about how stereotypes have developed over time. There are also many teaching suggestions, such as reading current information about a family’s tribe, tribal history, and traditional recreational and spiritual activities.