TELEVISION
About
The Great Courses has partnered with Smithsonian to bring you a series that reveals new perspectives on the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples and their significant impact on this country. Gain a new point of view on seemingly familiar stories America was built on, and be prepared to change how you understand American history.
Related Subjects
Episodes
1. Native America: A Story of Survival
31m
Begin by comparing the commonly held views of Native Americans to the realities of what was, and still is, a tapestry of rich and vibrant cultures. Professor Cobb explains the pitfalls that occur when history doesn't provide this crucial viewpoint, and will break down the fallacies that result from the common mistake of consigning Native Americans to the past.
2. The Columbian Exchange: New Worlds for All
32m
Explore how the misleading dichotomy of "Old World" and "New World" has impacted perceptions of Native Americans for decades. Delve into the "Columbian Exchange," which is the crux behind the creation of "new worlds for all" and learn about the enduring ramifications these processes had in shaping everything from the fauna and flora to the cuisines of the world.
3. The Native South and Southwest in the 1600s
30m
Examine the cultures that existed prior to the Spanish Invasion, the struggle for power through Hernando de Soto's entrada through the Southeast, and the Pueblo War for Independence in the Southwest. Dr. Cobb introduces the Native American worlds that were born in the aftermath of these transformative events.
4. Werowocomoco and Montaup in the 1600s
29m
Dr. Cobb demonstrates how connections were forged between Native Americans and newcomers as they incorporated each other into their worlds. In doing so, both cultures were transformed. You'll examine specific examples across the Northeastern Woodlands down to Werowocomoco to understand how the search for common ground began at first contact and still exists today.
5. Iroquoia and Wendake in the 1600s
32m
Once Europeans arrived, the Native peoples of the Northeast were determined to maintain their autonomy, despite becoming more integrated with the newcomers. Focusing on the strategies and experiences of the Wendat and Iroquois, you'll understand how Native Americans transformed the European colonial project while preserving a measured separatism.
6. Indian-European Encounters, 1700-1750
30m
Through an exploration of the Iroquois Confederacy and the Lenape (or Delaware) people in the Northeast, the Great Lakes region, and the Southeast, learn how Native Americans kept or lost their lands through treaties, war, and negotiations. In many cases, the repercussions of these conflicts sometimes went beyond relocation, resulting in enslavement or near annihilation.
7. The Seven Years' War in Indian Country
31m
The French and Indian War is often portrayed in history as a crucial turning point for Native nations in the East. For some, it served as a victory, for others, a defeat. And for a greater number still it had no immediate impact on their lives. This episode will change the storyline you've heard by exploring the perspectives of Native people who experienced the era quite differently.
8. The American Revolution through Native Eyes
31m
Examine three ways Native Americans experienced the American Revolution: as allies, as participants in their own civil wars, and as neutral parties. For many Native Americans, the resolution of the American Revolution held little meaning: There would be no liberty for them under the rule of the colonists or the Crown.
9. Indian Resistance in the Ohio Country
32m
Explore how the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which settled the American Revolutionary War between England and the colonists, brought no peace to Native Americans. Programs that were instituted during this period to help Native nations become self-sufficient (such as "expansion with honor" or establishing reservations) ultimately had the opposite effect.
10. Indian Removal: Many Trails, Many Tears
29m
One of the most well-known and dramatic stories in American history is that of the Cherokee nation and the Trail of Tears. Professor Cobb reveals the story behind the story: one of two nations emerging and transforming, during which legal battles, political manipulations, and a clash between the ill-defined limits of federal and state jurisdiction and tribal sovereignty.
Extended Details
- Closed CaptionsEnglish