Early American Indian History
This course examines the experience of North American Indians from their earliest origins to the removals of Native American nations westward in the 1830s and 1840s. Although there will be some discussion of American Indian societies in the West, we will concentrate on the Eastern Woodlands and some Great Plains Indians – in other words, those Indians who lived along the east coast, and those who lived west of the Appalachians in the Great Lakes region. We will examine and analyze the ways in which American Indians constructed their societies before European contact; how they received the European newcomers during the era of exploration; how they negotiated the power dynamics between their own cultures and those of the Europeans; and how they maintained or modified their cultural identities as a result of their interactions with whites. Aspects of trade, gender relations, religion, race, slavery, and environment will be explored along the way.
Research paper general description and components
General Standards for Papers and Essay Exams
Other helpful hints and websites:
Taking Lecture and Class Notes from the Dartmouth Academic Skills Center
"Interrogating" primary sources
How to organize your thoughts into an essay outline