ANTH 214 01 North American Indians:

Instructor: Dr. Norbert Ross

Meeting Time: Tue & Thurs 11-12:10

Meeting Location: Stevenson Center 1312

Office Hours: Tue & Thurs 14:30-15:30 (or by appointment) Garland Hall 007

This class represents an important journey into the history and present day multi-cultural setting of North America and the United States in particular. The main focus is on understanding the role and position of Native North Americans within such a setting. However, present day Native Americans (as the concept itself suggests) and their situation can only be understood when we take the wider historical and political context into consideration. The class seeks to develop (1) a better knowledge about the history of Native Americans within the USA and (2) a better understanding of the emergence of the present political / multi-cultural system through time. At times this journey will lead us along uncomfortable yet important pathways to understand ongoing struggles and disputes and to define our own positions within the larger society.

The class explores the history and presence of Native North Americans Indians mainly from the time of the contact onwards. For the purpose of this class North America is defined as a cultural area – rather than (present day) political or geological. As such the lectures, readings and discussions will include Native Americans of present day Canada, the USA and the Northern Mexico. However, in order to gain a better understanding we will also take into account the wider context. Most of the case studies will pertain to Native Americans within the United States and while we will be dealing with some prehistory and archaeology the focus of the class is on Native Americans from colonial times onwards.

Structure and Requirements of the class: The class will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays and it will include a mixture of lecture, discussions and student presentations (graduate students only). Several books have been selected for this class (available in the bookstore and put on reserve in the library). Additional readings are either available online through the library system or will be handed out by the instructor. Students are responsible to get the readings in time and come prepared to class. Class participation is obligatory. Participation in class includes not only a person’s presence, but also active involvement in class. If a student misses a class it is his / her responsibility to catch up with the materials. As we will cover a whole continent and more than 500 years, each class is important! Readings are essential! The class will also include film material and lectures on topics not necessarily covered by the readings.

For specific readings reaction papers (see document) are required. These papers will be part of a students overall grade. During the first half of the semester students will write a book review (Nabokov (1999) Native American Testimonies). A total of three exams will be distributed across the semester covering all different aspects of the class (movies, lectures, readings and class discussions). Finally, each student will participate in a semester long research group, collaborating in two independent projects (see attached document).

Grading:

Class Participation: 10%

Reaction Papers: 15%

Exams: 45%

Book Review: 15%

Research Project: 15%

Graduate Students. In addition to the above, graduate students will impart a class presentation (on a topic discussed with the instructor during the first week of class) and write a final paper (10-15 pages). The presentation and paper will make up for 30% of their grade (70% of their grade will be processed based on the above key).

Graduate Student papers are due the final day of class, a draft version is required at 03.17.2005.

Syllabus (preliminary):

There might be two guest speakers, in which case a change in the syllabus will be required.

Readings are due at the date outlined below, so please make sure to download the documents in time and come prepared to class. READINGS ARE REQUIRED AND IMPLY WORKING THROUGH A TEXT.

Class 1 (Thursday; 01.13.05). Introduction to the class. Requirements and overview of

the class. Organization of research groups; graduate students papers.

Class 2 (Tuesday; 01.18.05). What are Native Americans?

Reading: Chpts. 1; Oswalt, “This land was Theirs.”

Class 3 (Thursday; 01.20.05). Early Settlements and Archaeology.

Reading: Required: Chpt. 1; Kehoe; Browse through Chapt. 2

Class 4 (Tuesday; 01.25.05). Natural and Cultural Environment: An Overview.

Reading: Introduction sections of each are in Kehoe.

Class 5 (Thursday; 01.27.05). Colonial Times I: Columbus and Cortez.

Reading: Seed, P (1999). "Are these not also men"; Journal of Latin American Studies, 25(3)629-652. Download via Acorn. Reaction paper required.

Class 6 (Tuesday; 02.01.05). Colonial Times II: Hernan de Soto.

Reading: Chpts. “American Food Crops in the Old World” & “Metamorphosis of the Americas” from: Seeds of Change. Several copies are available in the Anthropology Office for Copying.

Reaction paper required.

Class 7 (Thursday; 02.03.05). Exam I. The exam covers all the readings, lecture &

discussions, as well as movies of the first period of the class.

Class 8 (Tuesday; 02.08.05).

Atlantic Coast: Powahatan Tribe.

Reading: Chpt. 2; Oswalt, “This land was Theirs.” Pocahontas Story (download

from the official Website of the Powahatan Tribe).

WWwReasearch: Powahatan Tribe.

Class 9 (Thursday; 02.10.05). Pilgrims: Wampanoag Nation.

Reading: Chpt. “An American Indian Perspective” from: Seeds of Change.

Several copies are available in the Anthropology Office for Copying. Reaction paper required.

WWwReseach: Wampanoag Nation

Class 10 (Tuesday; 02.15.05). Colonial Differences

Reading: HNAI Vol. 4 5-20 & 96-103. Several copies are available in the Anthropology Office for Copying.

Homework: come up with two city or state names that reflects the colonial history of the area, e.g. involvement of a specific colonial nation: England, Spain, France.

Class 11 (Thursday; 02.17.05). The Arctic / Inuit.

Reading: Chpt. 3 in Oswalt, “This Land was Theirs.”

Chpt. 9; Sec. 2 & 3 in Kehoe, “North American Indians.”

Class 12 (Tuesday; 02.22.05). The Subarctic

Reading: Chpt. 4 in Oswalt, “This Land was Theirs.”

Chpt. 9; Sec. 4 & 5 in Kehoe, “North American Indians.”

Class 13 (Thursday; 02.24.05). No Class. Made up with Jay-Walk Fried Bread

Meeting. TBA.

Class 14 (Tuesday; 03.01.05). California, the Great Basin & the Plateau.

Reading: Chpts. 5 & 8 in Oswalt, “This Land was Theirs.”

Chpt. 7 Sec. 2 - 4 in Kehoe, “North American Indians.”

Class 15 (Thursday; 03.03.05). Exam II. The exam covers all the readings, lecture &

discussions as well as movies of the second period of the class.

Tuesday (03.08.05) SPRING BREAK

Thursday (03.10.05) SPRING BREAK

Class 16 (Tuesday; 03.15.05). No Class. Made up with Jay Walk Fried Bread

Meeting. TBA.

Class 17 (Thursday; 03.17.05). The Plains.

Reading: Chpt. 6 in Oswalt, “This Land was Theirs.”

Chpt. 6 in Kehoe, “North American Indians.”

WWwResearch: Lakota

Class 18 (Tuesday; 03.22.05). Graduate Student Presentation: Ghost Dance

Religion. Reading: Chpt. 6 in Kehoe, “North Americans Indians.’

Class 19 (Thursday; 03.24.05). Graduate Presentation: Potlach & Kwaikutl.

The Northwest Coast.

Reading: Chpt. 9 in Oswalt, “This Lands was Theirs.”

Chpt. 8 in Kehoe, “North American Indians.”

Class 20 (Tuesday; 03.29.05). Eastern Woodlands.

Reading: Chpt. 12 in Oswalt, “This Land was Theirs.”

Chpt. 5 in Kehoe, “North American Indians.”

WWwResearch: Menominee

Class 21 (Thursday; 03.31.05). The Southwest.

Reading: Chpt. 10 & 11 in Oswalt, “This Land was Theirs.”

Chpt. 3 in Kehoe, “North American Indians.”

WWwResearch: The Navajo & the Hopi

Class 22 (Tuesday; 04. 05.05). The Southeast.

Reading: Chpt. 14 in Oswalt, “This land was Theirs.”

Chpt. 4 in Kehoe, “North American Indians.”

Class 23 (Thursday; 04.07.05). Exam III. The exam covers all the readings, lecture

& discussions, as well as movies of the third period of the class.

Class 24 (Tuesday; 04.12.05). Policies toward Indians: USA vs. Mexico.

Reading: HNAI Vol. 4, p. 29-81.

Reaction paper required.

Class 25 (Thursday; 04.14.05). Religious Relations and New Age.

Reading: HNAI Vol. 4, p. 430-494.

Class 26 (Tuesday; 04.19.05). Current Realities.

Reading: Chpt. 15 in Oswalt, “This Land was Theirs.”

Reaction paper required.

Chpt. 10 in Kehoe, “Native American Indians.”

Class 27 (Thursday; 04.21.05). Graduate Student Presentation: Native Americans in the

Media Summary Presentations of the WWW project.

Class 28 (Tuesday; 04.26.05). Wrapping up the class: Get out of here discussion!