Introduction for Teachers

Designed by Leah McFarlane (leah_mcfarlane@apsva.us). Last updated July 16, 2005.

This lesson was developed as part of An Adventure of the American Mind Northern Virginia Partnership (AAMNVA) , a federally funded professional development program to assist educators in using Library of Congress primary resources to support student learning.

This LibraryQuest has been designed as a series of lessons to be given throughout a course on American History with a focus on major events or periods and their impact on American Indians. The resources that are used in these lessons are primary sources, including prints, photographs, letters, and government documents. The use of additional resources for further development of the lessons is encouraged. A list of recommended titles can be found on the resources page.

School District and State: Arlington County, Virginia

Unit Number/Title: The American Indian Experience

Conceptual Unit Question: Where is the American Indian in American History?

Enduring Understanding: American Indians were involved in each step of the history of the North American continent.

Knowledge Goals:

• American Indian civilizations that existed in North America before the arrival of Europeans.

• Results of European exploration on American Indians.

• The relationship between American Indians and English in the early part of colonial America.

• European alliances with American Indians during the French and Indian War.

• Resistance from American Indian leaders.

• Perceptions of American Indians in the period of western expansion.

• American Indian involvement in the U.S. Civil War
  

Skill Goals:

USI.1 The student will develop skills for historical and geographical analysis, including the ability to:

• identify and interpret primary and secondary source documents to increase understanding of events and life in United States history to 1865;
• sequence events in United States history from pre-Columbian times to 1865;
• interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;
• evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing;
• analyze and interpret maps to explain relationships among landforms, water features, climatic characteristics, and historical events.

Key Concepts:

• There are multiples perspectives in history.
• Relationships between people change over time.
• We the People of the United States launched more than two centuries ago was not a perfect union, but a continual effort to build a more perfect union.