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History 300
A World of Difference
Students explore objects from the Peabody Institute’s collection in order to increase their awareness of Native American diversity - prior to European arrival - by investigating how the influence of environments is reflected in the life ways and material culture of different tribes. This program is also available as an online lesson.
Identity By Design
Students will explore objects from the Peabody Institute’s collection to understand Plains peoples’ long standing close connection to their surroundings and natural resources. Through the lens of one aspect of life – clothing – the impact that Westward Expansion had on tribes will be more clearly defined.
The Twines That Bind Us
Students examine a single object – a ball of string – to understand the lasting effect of vulnerability that the Great Depression left on those who lived through the turmoil and uncertainty, regardless of race, class, etc. This program is also available as an online lesson.
HISTORY 300
The Trail Where They Cried
The forced removal of the Cherokee people from their ancestral land profoundly affected their society, and choices made by various individuals, both tribal and non-tribal, had a significant impact on the experiences of specific groups of the Cherokee tribe – an impact that the Cherokee people still feel today. Through the use of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” activity, students begin to understand the complex nature of this traumatic event. This program is also available as an online lesson.
The passage of the Native American Graves Protection & Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) in 1990 marked a turning point for archaeologists, museums, and Native peoples. The law requires museums to consult with appropriate tribes and repatriate ancestral remains, funerary objects, and other sacred objects. Specific examples, often involving the Peabody, will be discussed. Students in History 300 will discover how modern Native peoples are working to undo colonial practices and heal the considerable wounds caused by loss of ancestral remains and sacred objects. Students should read NAGPRA Comics: Journeys to Complete the Work online before visiting the Peabody: https://nagpracomics.weebly.com/ the-comics.html
HISTORY 300
MYTH Conceptions
Explores how museums, such as the RS Peabody Institute, are extensions of the concept of Manifest Destiny. Students learn about the historical stealing of artifacts through the Peabody’s work to repatriate community artifacts and human remains to White Earth Nation, the community to which they belong. This program is also available as an online lesson.
Missing the Meaning
Students will understand how at the heart of Native protests are issues about tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and meaningful intergovernmental consultation as well as how the erasure and ignorance of Native American-US relationships within the broader public perpetuates misconceptions about the true nature of these protests by examining two protest signs to better understand their context. This program is also available as an online lesson.
