HI324G-1-F08:Main
From Eckerd Academic Wiki
Dr. Carolyn Johnston
Office: SE 214
Phone: 864-8284 (office) 492-6695 (cell phone)
E-mail: crossjohn@aol.com
Wednesday: 3-5:25PM
Contents |
HI 324G Native American History
This course will explore the history of Native Americans from the time of European contact to the present. We will focus on the inner workings of Native-American communities, Indian-white relations, changing U.S. governmental policy, Native American spirituality, economies, gender roles, and decision making.
Learning objectives
1.To develop an understanding of the history of Native Americans in the United States.
2.Acquire knowledge of Native American economies, social interaction, gender relations, and governing systems.
3.Develop an understanding of Anglo-Indian relations.
4.Develop an understanding of differences and similarities among Native American tribes of the United States.
5.Develop excellence in bibliographic instruction, writing, close reading of texts, oral communication, and small group discussion.
Required Texts
N. Scott Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain
Dee Brown, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Vine Deloria, Custer Died for Your Sins
Carolyn Johnston, Cherokee Women in Crisis
Carolyn Niethammer, Daughters of the Earth
Leonard Peltier, Prison Writings
Peter Nabokov, American Testimony
John G. Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks
Evaluation
½ Journals and weekly papers
½ Participation in discussion, Research Project, and oral presentations
Analytical and Reflective Journals
Each student will turn in a journal entry every three weeks on the texts and films. Students will write a journal on the texts, lectures, and discussions of the class. While it is more personal and meditative than your lecture notes, it is not a diary for recording random thoughts or experiences, but a place for disciplined writing and thinking. I will pose questions for you to address in your journal for the weeks. Entries should be typewritten and double-spaced with one-inch margins. The minimal length will be 5 pages. No late journals will be accepted unless there is a verifiable emergency.
Short papers weekly
Each Wednesday you will turn in a one-page paper on the readings for the week, reflecting on the major themes and insights. This is an informal paper but needs to be typed and have a central thesis. These must be turned in at the time of class and late papers will not be accepted.
Research project on an aspect of tribal history and presentation
Schedule of Classes
September 3 Introduction to the course
September 10 Reading: Nabokov, American Testimony, xvii-165.
September 17 Reading: Nabokov, American Testimony, 166-337.
September 24 Reading: Nabokov, American Testimony, 338-472.
September 26 Journal due
October 1 Reading: Deloria, Custer Died for Your Sins.
October 8 Reading: Brown, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, xv-218.
Storytelling Workshop by Lynn Carol Henderson
October 15 Reading: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, 219-450.
October 17 Journal due October 22 Reading: Niethammer, Daughters of the Earth
October 27-28 Midterm holiday --- Enjoy!!(unless we have missed
classes because of hurricane closing).
October 29 Reading: Carolyn Johnston, Cherokee Women in Crisis
November 5 Reading: Cherokee Women in Crisis
November 7 Journal due.
November 12 Leonard Peltier, Prison Writings
November 19 Reading: Black Elk Speaks, xi-146
RESEARCH NOTES DUE on Tribal research
Group Presentations on Tribal research
November 26 Reading: Black Elk Speaks, 147-274
Journal due
Group Presentations on Tribal research
Thanksgiving holiday: November 27-28
December 3 Group Presentations on Tribal research
December 5 Journal due
Research on Tribes
Each student will select a Native American tribe at the beginning of the semester and research every aspect of the tribe’s history, giving periodic presentations to the class. Groups will form around various topics.
You will work in groups in order to research American Indian tribes in different culture areas. You will meet, discuss your findings, and share resources. As part of your research project that focuses on a particular story you will include a section on the history and culture of the tribe that you have chosen. The following questions may help guide your research:
What adaptive strategies did the tribe employ? (1600-1900s).
Describe the impact of European contacts on the tribe.
How would you describe the spiritual traditions of the tribe?
What ceremonies were/are most important to the tribe?
What were the gender roles within the tribe and how have they changed?
What was/is the tribal political organization?
What was the nature of family life of the tribe over time?
What was the geographical location of the tribe? How did this change over time?
How would you describe the tribal members’ attitudes toward nature?
Describe the attitudes of the tribe toward sexuality over time.
Who were/are the tribal leaders?
What impact did missionaries have on the tribe?
What was the U.S. federal policy toward the tribe? What impact did the policies have on the tribe?
What aspect of the tribe’s history and culture is especially important in understanding the story that you chose?
Group presentations:
Drawing on research on different tribes, the groups organized by cultural regions will share research with the class through the class wiki site and give a formal presentation. This will involve telling a traditional story from a tribal group and contextualizing it within the tribal region's history.
Honor Code
“On my honor, as an Eckerd College student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal, nor to tolerate these behaviors in others."
In addition, students are required to write "pledged" and sign it on every assignment they turn in, indicating that their work is consistent with the Code.
Hurricane Preparedness
If for any reason, Eckerd College is evacuated students who leave campus for stays of overnight or longer should bring their texts, notes, and syllabus so that they are ready to continue their course work. In such an event, check your Eckerd e-mail from your off-campus location and continue with the course work according to the syllabus and as delivered via our class wiki site.
Closing: In the event that the college is closed for 5-10 days students will continue to read the assigned readings and write analytical and reflective essays on each of the texts.
If the college is closed for 2-4 months my plan will be to convert the course to a form of an independent study. I will be in communication with students during the closing about the details, but the plan is to continue to read all assigned texts and to write essays on them. I will send out study questions and essay topics. Depending on the circumstances, I will have students return their work via email or the postal service.
Please be sure that I have your emergency contact numbers and email addresses.
Journals
Journal #1
Due: September 26: noon in the Letters Collegium
Reflect on Nabokov, American Testimony, xvii-472. Address the following questions in a 5-page typed paper: 1.What were the purposes of the Indian boarding schools? How did they attempt to “civilize” the Indian students? Discuss the consequences of the Indian boarding schools on native culture and religion as depicted in the film, “In the White Man’s Image.” Which images from the film were the most memorable to you?
2.Drawing on the selections in American Testimony, discuss three specific periods of time or incidents from the perspective of the Indians and from the perspective of either the colonial power or the United States government. How do you interpret the differing accounts?
3.Discuss the question of persistence of native culture in the film entitled Native Americans: The Northeast.
Journal #2
Due October 17
Drawing on Vine Deloria’s book Custer Died for your Sins, and Dee Brown’s book Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee write essays on the following questions:
1.Focus on the thesis of Custer Died for your Sins and discuss the significance of the title for Deloria’s analysis. What is the nature of his manifesto and how does he analyze the changing relationship of American Indians to Euro-Americans? What is his agenda for change?
2.Write a brief summary of each chapter in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Then discuss the nature of the policy of the U.S. government toward American Indians in the 19th century and the response of the Indian nations to these policies.
3.Analyze the films that you have viewed in the past three weeks in view of your readings
Journal #3
Due November 7
Drawing on Daughters of the Earth and Cherokee Women in Crisis write essays on the following questions:
1.Give a brief summary of each chapter in Daughters of the Earth and write an essay that addresses the overall subject of native women and gender systems among American Indians. How did their gender systems differ from the European systems?
2.Discuss the major transformations in the lives of Cherokee women as a result of removal, the Civil War, and Allotment. To what degree were the Cherokees able to retain their traditional culture through these crises?
3.Analyze the films that you have seen in the past three weeks in light of your readings.
Journal #4
Due December 5
Drawing on Black Elk Speaks and Prison Writings write essays on the following questions:
1.Describe Black Elk’s cosmology. How does it differ from Western thought? Discuss the meaning of each of Black Elk’s visions. What do they reveal about Sioux spirituality? What major historical events does Black Elk interpret? How does he remember them? What is the significance of the Sacred Hoop to him?
2.Discuss Peltier’s political and spiritual beliefs? How did he become imprisoned? Research his legal case and evaluate whether you believe he is guilty or innocent. Support your position with evidence.
3.Analyze the films that you have seen in the past three weeks in view of your readings.
