American History from the Perspective of the Native Americans

By: Shannon McCann

This social studies unit plan is about the true and real history of Native Americans. I want to teach my students the true beginnings of American history in the point of view of the Native Americans, not the colonists or Europeans. American history originated from the Native Americans and not Christopher Columbus in 1492. The majority of the United States history books that are out in the world miss the most important content of the Native American tribes. This unit is going to focus on how the Native Americans lived, their beliefs and culture. It will also show both positive and negative relationships between the Europeans and the Native Americans. The positive relationship will be between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts during the First Thanksgiving Dinner. The negative relationship will be how Columbus and his men mistreat the Native Americans by taking their gold, land, and their lives. This unit plan will be coming from the Native American voice and not the explorer’s words.