Course Content and Goals

This course surveys the history of American Indians from the 1840s, when the United States first extended coast to coast in North America, until the beginning of the twenty-first century. Indians' relations with the federal government, and with non-Indians in general, are central subjects of the course. We will try to determine and understand Indian perspectives on events and relations, even when relying on non-Indian accounts for information.

By fulfilling course requirements, you should gain understanding of the historical reasons for Indians' unique status in American society, for the challenges and opportunities that Indians face today, and for present-day controversies about Indian rights and identity. Readings and discussions should also shed light more generally on such aspects of human experience as intercultural relations, ethnic and national identities, evolving traditions, and power relations. In addition, course work should help you hone useful reading, writing, and analytical skills.

Readings

Required readings consist of three books and a photocopied coursepack, available for purchase at University Bookstore. The books are:

Larry McMurtry, Crazy Horse

David Wallace Adams, Education for Extinction

Charles Wilkinson, Blood Struggle

The coursepack contains the following items.

1. George Catlin, "Letters and Notes on the Manners and Customs, and Conditions of North American Indians," Letter No. 58, pp. 1 and 11-24 of a document available at http://catlinclassroom.si.edu/searchdocs/catlinletter58.html;

2. Letters and petitions in Robert F. Heizer, The Destruction of California Indians (Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1974), pp. 13-16, 130, 176-88;

3. New York Daily Times articles from 1851: "The Indians on our Western Border," "The Indian Treaty Ground," "Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs";

4. Report of Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 1873, pp. 234-43, 250-52, 281-83, 305-09;

5. Frederick Hoxie, "From Prison to Homeland," South Dakota History, vol. 10, no. 1 (1979), pp. 1-24;

6. John Walker Harrington, "Self-Determination for American Red Man," New York Times, August 10, 1919, p. SM3;

7. Kenneth R. Philp, "John Collier and the Controversy over the Wheeler-Howard Bill," in Indian-White Relations: A Persistent Paradox, ed. Smith and Kvasnicka (Howard University Press, 1981), pp. 171-200;

8. Interviews of Ben Reifel, Ramon Roubideaux, and Clarence Foreman in To Be an Indian, ed. Cash and Hoover (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1971), pp. 121-132, 153-58;

9. Articles from New York Times, "Oregon Indians Split on Future," June 19, 1955, p. 75, and "Navajos Distrust Control by State," December 25, 1957, p. 51;

10. National Indian Youth Council press statement, 1964, from NIYC papers, University of New Mexico;

11. Articles from New York Times, 1956, "About New York: Redskin Colony of the Big City, Fifty Strong..." and "Indians Thrive in Large Cities";

12. "American Indian Capital Conference on Poverty," Statement of Melvin Thom, 1964, from National Indian Youth Council papers;

13. Articles from Los Angeles Times, "City Called a 'Foreign' Country to Indians" and "L.A. Indians Await Influx from Reservations";

14. Indians of All Nations, "Proclamation to the Great White Father and to All His People," 1969;

15. Timothy Egan, "New Prosperity Brings New Conflict to Indian Country," New York Times, March 8, 1998, p. 1.

For your convenience, the books are on 4-hour reserve at Odegaard Library.

Assignments and Examinations

You will demonstrate your understanding of readings and lectures in two short papers, a midterm examination, a final examination, and two "town meetings" that will involve both discussion and writing assignments.

First paper due Thursday, January 21

First town meeting Thursday, February 4

Midterm exam Thursday, February 11

Second town meeting Tuesday, February 23

Second paper due Thursday, March 11

Final exam Wednesday, March 17, 8:30-10:20 a.m.

There will also be occasional credit/no-credit exercises intended to promote discussion, help you analyze readings, and give you opportunities to practice skills needed for success in the course. Some exercises may take place in class, even on the spur of the moment. Most will involve posting an entry on our electronic bulletin board (Go-Post) or submitting something on paper.

Grading

Your grade on the first paper, the midterm exam, the second paper, and the final exam will each constitute 15% of your course grade. Your grade on a town meeting assignment will constitute 10% of your course grade when you are in the audience and 15% when you are a panelist. 

The remaining 15% of your course grade will reflect your participation in other class activities, especially the credit/no-credit exercises. You can ensure an A for this portion of your grade by attending class faithfully, conscientiously completing all exercises, contributing to discussions in class and on line, and otherwise showing that you are working diligently to understand course material and develop the skills of a history scholar.

You will receive a handout summarizing the standards for evaluating your papers and exam essays. Exams will require you to analyze information presented in class meetings as well as readings. Because class discussions will cover material not encompassed in the readings, you must be present at all class meetings and take thorough notes in order to do well on exams.

If your work in the course shows steady improvement as the quarter progresses, I will add points to your calculated course grade. This is one of several reasons to take advantage of my strong desire to help you learn. Ask questions as needed, tell me when I am not making something clear to you, arrange a meeting with me to discuss how you can develop your skills, and let me know immediately if you encounter special problems that may affect your performance in the course.

Course Website and Go-Post Discussion Board

The URL for the course website is http://faculty.washington.edu/aharmon/AIS332/ais332.html. The homepage has links to the syllabus, lecture outlines, instructions for papers and town meetings, questions to consider as you read and prepare for class discussions, notice of some assignments, study guides for exams, and miscellaneous announcements.

Also linked to the website is a Go-Post discussion board where you will post responses to some assignments. At this site you can also initiate or join other conversations about issues that arise in the course. For help using the Go-Post board, go to http://www.washington.edu/lst/help/gopost/ and look under "Participants" for a link to information on a likely issue.

Lecture and Reading Schedule

WEEK 1 INDIANS AND THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1840S

Read McMurtry, Crazy Horse, through page 63

Catlin, "Letters and Notes....," excerpt of Letter No. 58

January 4 Introduction to the course

January 5 Legacies of history before 1840

January 6 U.S. expansion into Indian country

January 7 Videos: "The Bison Hunters" and "Winds of Change" (Navajos)

WEEK 2 HOW THE WEST WAS LOST

Read McMurtry, Crazy Horse, to the end

Three articles, New York Daily Times, 1851

Letters and petitions in Heizer, The Destruction of California Indians

January 11 The invasion of California

January 12 Fighting for the Great Plains

January 13 A problematic U.S. peace policy

January 14 Video: "Last Stand at Little Bighorn"

WEEK 3 RELEGATED TO RESERVATIONS

Read Adams, Education for Extinction, through page 59

Agency reports, Report of Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 1873

January 18 HOLIDAY

January 19 The end of armed resistance

January 20 Reservation life in the 1870s

January 21 Reformers and "the Indian problem"

** FIRST PAPER DUE. **

WEEK 4 THE CIVILIZATION PROGRAM

Read Adams, Education for Extinction, pages 60-206

Hoxie, "From Prison to Homeland"

January 25 A program to civilize and assimilate Indians

January 26 The assimilation program in practice

January 27 Educating Indians

January 28 Mixed messages about Indianness

WEEK 5 TALKING BACK TO THE CIVILIZERS

Read Adams, Education for Extinction, pages 209-337

Harrington, "Self-Determination for American Red Man," N.Y. Times

February 1 Religious and political responses

February 2 World War I and citizenship

February 3 Town meeting preparation

February 4 FIRST TOWN MEETING

WEEK 6 A NEW DEAL?

Read Philp, "John Collier and the Controversy over the Wheeler-Howard Bill"

Cash/Hoover, "Ben Reifel," "Ramon Roubideaux," "Clarence Foreman"

         February 8 Repudiating the assimilation policy

February 9 The Indian New Deal

February 10 Tribal self-government in the 1930s

February 11 MIDTERM EXAM

WEEK 7 TRIBALISM UNDER SIEGE

Read Wilkinson, Blood Struggle, through page 86

N.Y. Times articles: "Oregon Indians Split on Future," "Navajos Distrust Control by State," "About New York," "Indians Thrive in Large Cities"

February 15 HOLIDAY

February 16 World War II and the Cold War

February 17 A new drive to assimilate Indians

February 18 Termination

WEEK 8 SIGNS OF A TRIBAL REVIVAL

Read Wilkinson, Blood Struggle, pages 90-173

National Indian Youth Council press statement

"American Indian Capital Conference," statement of Melvin Thom

February 22 Town meeting preparation

February 23 SECOND TOWN MEETING

February 24 Resurgent tribalism in the 1960s

February 25 Film: "The Forgotten American"

WEEK 9 HOW PRESENT INDIAN POLICY CAME ABOUT

Read Wilkinson, Blood Struggle, pages 177-268

Los Angeles Times articles: "City Called a 'Foreign' Country to Indians," "L.A. Indians Await Influx from Reservations"

Indians of All Nations, "Proclamation to the Great White Father..."

March 1 Indians in the cities

March 2 The militants

March 3 Victories in courts and Congress

March 4 The self-determination policy

WEEK 10 RECENT TRENDS AND ISSUES

Read Wilkinson, Blood Struggle, pages 271-380

Egan, "New Prosperity Brings New Conflict," New York Times

March 8 Tribal government renaissance

March 9 Video: "Indian Country"

March 10 Casinos and power

March 11 Summing up

** SECOND PAPER DUE**

WEEK 11 Wednesday March 17, 8:30-10:20 FINAL EXAM