ANTH 1150 - Peoples and Cultures of Native America
3 Credits
Introduces students to the Native Nations of North America (American Indians/Native Americans) through an anthropological lens. This is accomplished through three primary avenues: a survey of American Indian societies and cultures before and after the start of settler-colonialism; an exploration of key American Indian figures and events that have shaped American Indian experiences; and an examination of the strengths of native America and the challenges American Indian communities face today. Students will develop skills to critically examine the racialization of American Indians, forced assimilation, intergenerational trauma, relationships to place, Indigenous cosmology, sovereignty, and self-determination.
Major Content Areas
The peopling of the Americas, North American pre-history and culture contact.Culture regions including Arctic and Subarctic, Northwest Coast, Great Basin, The Plains, California, the Southwest, and Mexico. Social construction of race in the United States, racialization of Native Americans, identity and sovereignty. Impacts of settler colonialism on American Indian life from key events such as the fur trade, treaties, Trail of Tears, the Dakota Conflict, Wounded Knee, and boarding schools. Ey figures and events of resistance, and self-governance. Indigenous cosmologies, religion, place, land stewardship, and US-Mexico border.
Learning Outcomes
Identify and describe similarities and differences among Native American culture regions before and after the start of settler-colonialism. Name and discuss key American Indian figures and events that contributed to social, political and economic justice, environmental activism, academia, the arts, and sciences. Name and locate the American Indian nations of Minnesota and discuss their contributions to society as well as the challenges they face. Analyze key concepts including racialization, sovereignty, assimilation, place, identity, cosmology, gender, and land stewardship in the context of Native American societies. Critically analyze structures and dynamics of US society that contribute to oppression and injustice throughout Native America as well as examples of resistance and self-governance.
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MNTC) Goals
10 - People/Environment 7B - Race/Power/Justice
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