S1:E10 Native American History with Philip Deloria

Dr. Philip Deloria joins Eric and Rob to discuss how to teach Native American history in a U.S. History course. He is the Leverett Saltonstall Professor of History at Harvard University. He identifies three important concepts that teachers should consider to fully include Native American history in their courses. First, he reminds us that American Indian people are still here and that teachers should work to challenge the erasure of the Indian American experiences in both history and contemporary society. Second, he explains that Native American history is distinct from other social groups in the United States because their experiences are mediated by treaty relationships, and their history is shaped by nation to nation encounters with the U.S. government. Finally, teachers should recognize that Indian people are everywhere in American history and it is not that hard to find stories to integrate Native American history into their curricula. He highlights several areas teachers can explore including changing interpretations of the Bering Straits theory, the impact of slaving systems on Indigenous people in the Western Hemisphere, and the role of land and wealth in the late 19th century when land is violently seized from Indian people in the era of the Civil War and how that land was transferred to universities, corporations, and individuals. Phil also discusses several different websites (listed below) that teachers can use to bring more American Indian history in their courses.

Lesson Plans and resources:

American Indians in the Progressive Era lesson can be downloaded at

The Horse Creek Treaty lesson can be downloaded at

The Land- Grab Universities website can be found at https://www.landgrabu.org/

The Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource website can be found at https://carlisleindian.dickinson.edu/

The Native Knowledge 360° website (with many lesson plans) from the National Museum of the American Indian can be found at https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360

The Stolen Relations website can be found at https://stolenrelations.org/

The Native Bound Unbound website can be found at https://nativeboundunbound.org/

Credits

Opening theme music, “Bossa Bossa,” created by Clare Howard www.clarehoward.com Music supported by the National Council for History Education www.ncheteach.org

Transition theme music, “The Clock is Ticking,” created by Emily Hahn.

Logo artwork created by Jessica Goldman.

Shit I Have to Teach in 20 Minutes is produced by Eric Hahn and Rob Good. Audio and video editing by Sebastian Rosales.

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