Participants in this course will explore American Indian history in North Carolina from the earliest evidence of human habitation in the state through first contact with Europeans, the Trail of Tears, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, and into the present day.

Students often hold incorrect ideas about Native Americans and, in particular, know very little about the history and culture of American Indians right here in North Carolina. Archaeological finds, creation stories, the writings of early European explorers, government documents and treaties, stories handed down through oral tradition, indigenous crafts, newspaper articles, and more will enrich exploration of key issues in Native American history in North Carolina.

Moreover, thoughtful articles and lively discussions will allow participants to address modern issues such as the needs of American Indian students in North Carolina classrooms and present-day controversies such as the use of Indian-themed mascots in school athletic programs.

From the National Museum of the American Indian website:

"To Native peoples from the Chesapeake region, the Bay and its watershed are not only a natural resource but a central part of their cultural identities. Learn how the Great Shellfish Bay and its tributaries physically and spiritually sustained Native communities in the sixteenth century. Explore indigenous peoples' enduring connections to this fragile ecosystem and some of their current environmental partnerships to revitalize and protect the Chesapeake."

For more on the National Museum of the American Indian, refer to NHEC's Museums and Historic Sites entry.

From the North Carolina Museum of History website:

"Get to know the state's American Indian tribes. Examine some of these groups within the contexts of education, government and politics, language, and the arts. The workshop will pay particular attention to today's eight state-recognized tribes."

The workshop investigates the interaction between Europeans and Native Americans in the struggle to control North America, both during the colonial era and the early years of American independence. Participants will study early French contact with the Iroquois Great League of Peace, warfare between France and Great Britain and the Iroquois caught in the middle, Patriot struggles against Loyalists and Indians during the American Revolution, and key battles fought at the Fort during the War of 1812, which resulted in the eventual dispossession of the Iroquois after that conflict.

From the Historic Arkansas Museum website:

"Join us at Historic Arkansas, the museum doing great things with history, for our annual Fall School Fair. Everyone loves it—kids and teachers alike.

Teachers say they like:
*That up to 110 students can come at one time.
*That they can meet so many frameworks in 2.5 hours.

Kids like:
*How easy it is to learn when they're having fun!

Everyone likes:
*Seeing the blacksmith at his forge, the spinner at her wheel and the woodworker using his tools.
*Hearing fiddlers fiddle and storytellers tell their tales.
*Meeting Living History characters and stepping into the oldest house in Little Rock.
*Viewing our newest gallery about Arkansas's first people: the Caddo, Osage and Quapaw.
*Hands-on, participatory fun: the kind we're known for!

Come enjoy the most talent the museum can assemble in one day."

For more on the Historic Arkansas Museum, refer to NHEC's Museums and Historic Sites entry.