Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion students should be able to:

• Articulate and interpret an understanding of key historical facts and events in American Indian history.
• Identify the influence of culturally based practices, values, and beliefs to analyze how historically defined meanings of difference affect human behavior.
• Identify and investigate historical theses, evaluate information and its sources, and use appropriate reasoning to construct evidence-based arguments on historical issues.
• Construct a well organized historical argument using effective, appropriate, and accurate language.

Assess by using any combination of the following:

• Exams
• Essays
• Oral presentations
• Research projects
• Service Learning
• Class participation and discussion
• Other creative assignments

Competencies and Skills:

Analyze and evaluate primary and secondary sources:

• Connect evidence to its relevant historical context
• Recognize and evaluate the perspective of the creator of written, artistic, or other evidence
• Assess the motivation and purpose of evidence

Evaluate different interpretations of past events and construct your own interpretation:

• Identify a historian’s thesis and supporting evidence
• Evaluate the arguments used to support different interpretations of historical issues
• Develop your own thesis and historical interpretation and use evidence to support it

Think critically about the relationship between past and present events and issues:

• Recognize and identify historical roots and parallels to current issues

Compare and contrast the experience of American Indians with various Europeans and Africans:

• Listen to and appreciate the experience of students from different backgrounds
• Engage in private and public discussions that involve the construction of fact-based arguments regarding issues in American Indian history
• Assess the contributions of various American Indian tribes to American society
• Recognize diversity within the historical context
• Demonstrate college-level communications skills with an emphasis on writing (and may include listening and speaking)
  • Communicate effectively in writing about a historical topic
  • Communicate in writing an understanding of historical processes and an evaluation of how concepts of values change over time

Clearly articulate thoughts and ideas to a particular audience:

• Work collaboratively with other students to evaluate and understand historical events
• Work collaboratively with others in discussions, debates, or role plays
• Present information in oral presentations

Themes, Concepts, Issues:

• Indigenous cultures
• Disease and population decline
• Indian resistance and accommodation to westward expansion
• Manifest Destiny
• Removal and assimilation
• Tribal sovereignty
• Reservations
• Treaty making
• Role of religion
• Red Power
• Racism
• Gender roles