NAMS 1143I    Native Americans of North America

Spring 2009   Dr. Hugh Foley   hfoley@rsu.edu  918-343-7566

Dept. of Communications and Fine Arts, Rogers State University, Claremore, OK 74017

I. Required Text: Calloway, Colin, G. First Peoples: A Documentary Survey of American Indian History.   3rd edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s,  2008.

II. Course Description: This course is an introduction to the first inhabitants of North America from the centuries before and after the European incursions. Along with significant historical events, note will be made of cultural relationships, such as languages, myths, and lifestyle among various peoples distributed throughout the area. Additionally, because Oklahoma is a contemporary microcosm of tribes from across the United States, special emphasis will be placed on tribes from Oklahoma who represent distinct and historic tribal entities, and whose stories typify the experience of Native Americans across the continent.

III. Course Objectives: Along with coming to a new understanding of the history and contemporary status of North American Indians, students also should develop critical thinking skills and analytical writing skills through reading, researching, and writing about Native American people, issues, and history. By using these skills in this course, students will gain an enhanced knowledge of American Indian issues, and how those issues continue to affect local, state, and national economies, as well as how those issues have impacted the tribes themselves.

IV. Course Syllabus:

Note: All readings pertain to the required textbook.

Week 1: Course Introduction, Research Resources, Current Events Review

              Reading: “Introduction: American Indians in American History”

Week 2: “Pre-history” of the Americas

               Reading: Chapter 1, “American History Before Columbus”

Week 3 and 4: The Europeans Arrive

               Reading: Chapter 2, “The Invasions of America, 1492 – 1680”

Week 5 and 6: American Indians and the Colonies

               Reading: Chapter 3, “Indians in Colonial and Revolutionary America, 1680 – 1786”

Week 7 and 8: The “Indian Problem” for an Expanding Nation

               Reading: Chapter 4, “American Indians and the New Nation, 1783-1838”

Week 8:  Mid-term Exam (testing center in Markham Hall)

Weeks 9 and 10:  Overwhelming the West

               Reading: Chapter 5, “Defending the West, 1830-90”

Weeks 11 and 12: “Refining the Indian”

               Reading: Chapter 6, “Kill the Indian and Save the Man, 1870s – 1930”

Weeks 13 and 14: Gone and Back

               Reading: Chapter 7, “From Indian New Deal to Self-Determination, 1930-1970s”

Week 15: Now What?

               Reading: Chapter 8, “Nations within a Nation: Indian Country Today”

Week 16: Final Exam (testing center in Markham Hall)

V. Assessment Tools:

Course Reading Journals: Students will respond to one Question for Consideration from at least 25 sections listed as such under Questions for Consideration. Page numbers for these questions can be found in the table of contents. Students should answer sentences in complete sentences. Answers should simply be long enough to answer the question fully. Students will type their answers, clearly indicating which question is being answered, bind them all together in a folder, and turn them in to the instructor by April 24th.

Experience Essay: Students will attend at least one event with a Native American focus, be it a church service, powwow, political event, art exhibit, cultural demonstration, or other event with an emphasis on American Indians. After attending the event, students will write a 750-word essay on the event. The essay should be typed and double-spaced. The essay is due by April 21st.

Oklahoma Tribe Timeline: Students will provide a timeline that shows when the tribes of Oklahoma came to be where they are today. Students should also cite a source for each tribe's placement on the timeline. Students may need to provide some explanations or justifications as to why some tribes have been placed where they are on the timeline. Wikipedia is not permitted  as a source for this assignment. The timeline is due by April 17th.

Final and Mid-Term Exam: Students will take a final and a mid-term exam. Both exams will be given in the testing center in Markham Hall, and the two scores will be averaged together for 25% of the grade.

VI. Policies and Procedures

Grading Policies:

Students will be graded on the following items:

1.        Journals (25%)

2.        Experience Essay (25%)

3.        Oklahoma Tribe timeline (25%)

4.        Mid-term and Final exam average (25%)

Grading Scale:

100% - 90% = A

89% - 80% = B

79% -70% = C

69% - 60% = D

Below 60% = F

Academic Integrity: Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty in which a student represents someone else’s work as his or her own. To avoid plagiarism, when you use someone else’s data, arguments, designs, words, ideas, project, etc., you must make it clear that the work originated with someone else by citing the source. Any plagiarized work receives a "0" which may not be made up.

Academic Misconduct: Students are expected to follow university policies as put forth in the institution’s Student Code of Responsibilities and Conduct. In accordance with Title 12 of The Student Code (page 11), instances of alleged academic misconduct will follow the policies and procedures as described in Title 12. As a general rule, Faculty members at RSU have the responsibility of enforcing the academic code. Therefore, if academic misconduct is suspected I will submit a letter of alleged academic misconduct to the Office of Student Affairs.

ADA Statement: Rogers State University is committed to providing students with disabilities equal access to educational programs and services. Before any educational accommodation can be provided, any student who has a disability that he or she believes will require some form of accommodation must do the following: 1) inform the professor of each class of such need; and 2) register for services to determine eligibility for assistance with the Office of Student Affairs, located in the Student Union. Students needing more information about Student Disability Services should contact the Director of Student Development, Office of Student Affairs, RSU, 918-343-7579.

Attendance Policy: I do not withdraw students from the class. The responsibility for withdrawing from the class lies with the students.

Closure Statement: The schedule and procedures of this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances. (University Closure Statement, IRPAA 8/25/99, p. 25).