NATIVE AMERICANS
CRASH COURSE • PART 1
What did the Yanktonai people record in their winter count?
Why does Che Jim say the television series can’t tell all Indigenous history?
How many Native tribes (not nations) are there in the United States?
What do the Diné people call themselves?
What is settler-colonialism?
How many people identified as American Indian or Alaska Native in 2020?
What ancient event did the Klamath people remember?
Why is it important to include Native stories from before European contact?
How did hiding Native history affect public understanding?
How many Native nations (not tribes) does Che Jim say exist in the U.S.?
The Winter Count & Native Histories
Each year, the Yanktonai people created a simple drawing to remember something important.
They recorded events like the year the stars fell, a big buffalo year, or a severe measles outbreak. They marked each year between the first snowfall. This was part of their winter count—a record of 71 years.
Every tribe has its own long and unique story that continues today. Winter counts show how people remember their past.
A Series with Big Goals
Host Che Jim explains that this television series cannot tell the entire story of Indigenous people in what is now the United States.
Instead, it will fill gaps in common ideas and correct misunderstandings. Current school history lessons rarely include Native American stories.
One student noted that only 10 out of 307 pages in their history book talked about Native peoples. Che Jim wants the series to spark curiosity, present fascinating facts, and show how Native history has shaped the world.
Choosing Words Carefully
Language matters a great deal.
There are over five hundred Native tribes in the United States, and some are federally recognized while others are not.
Che Jim calls himself Diné, which means “the people,” though others use Navajo, a name given by Europeans.
Some people prefer Indigenous while others like American Indian or Native American.
Each name carries history and preference.
In Canada, terms like First Nations, Inuit, and Métis are used. In Latin America, many prefer “indígenas.”
The choice of names can be personal and meaningful.
Understanding Settler-Colonialism
Although there are many Native nations with unique stories, they share a common experience called settler-colonialism.
Colonialism happens when one nation controls another and its resources without becoming part of it.
Settler-colonialism goes further: newcomers want to remove Indigenous people and settle the land themselves.
This system shaped the history of the United States through wars, treaties, policies, and laws that still affect Indigenous people today.
Race & Identity over Time
Before European settlers arrived, people did not identify as Native American or Indian. Those labels did not exist.
In the 1800s, the U.S. government created a single “Native” identity and used blood quantum rules—how much Native “blood” someone was believed to have—to determine citizenship.
This practice was part of a plan to reduce Native numbers over time and take their land.
But Native people remained.
In 2020, the census counted about 9.7 million people identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native—even though the numbers include both tribal members and those claiming Native ancestry.
Deep Roots & Ongoing Presence
Native presence in North America extends far beyond European contact.
Indigenous people describe their history as “since time immemorial,” meaning as far back as anyone can remember.
For example, the Klamath people passed down a story of a volcano (Mt. Mazama) erupting 7,600 years ago—long before Stonehenge was built.
• Mt. Mazama
Oral traditions preserve ancient events and show that Native histories are deep, meaningful, and continue today. This series will discuss events before and after European contact as part of one story.
Why Native History Matters
When Native American history is left out, the public misses how colonization and racism continue to affect Indigenous communities.
Missing this history suggests that nothing important happened before Europeans arrived or that Native people disappeared.
In reality, Native nations continue their cultural traditions, languages, and governance systems today.
Without including Native history, U.S. history is incomplete.
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, one of the oldest democracies, influenced American democracy.
Many Native nations exist with their own unique stories and identities. They remain strong, changing the world and shaping what comes next.
Bringing It All Together
Native American history is not a single story but hundreds of stories filled with traditions, languages, and wisdom carried for thousands of years.
These histories were never fully erased. They are alive today and will continue into the future.
Without these histories, the story of the United States cannot be told.
Winter count – A visual record made each year to remember important events.
Indigenous – People who have lived in a place since long before settlers arrived.
Federally recognized – Officially recognized by the U.S. government.
Colonialism – When one country controls another and its resources.
Settler-colonialism – When settlers come to live on land and push out Indigenous people.
Ancestry – Where a person’s family came from long ago.
Oral tradition – Stories passed down by speaking, not writing.
Haudenosaunee Confederacy – An important group of Native nations that influenced US democracy.
Immemorial – Too long ago to remember or reach into memory.
► COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
— please answer with complete sentences
What did the Yanktonai people record in their winter count?
Why does Che Jim say the television series can’t tell all Indigenous history?
How many Native tribes (not nations) are there in the United States?
What do the Diné people call themselves?
What is settler-colonialism?
How many people identified as American Indian or Alaska Native in 2020?
What ancient event did the Klamath people remember?
Why is it important to include Native stories from before European contact?
How did hiding Native history affect public understanding?
How many Native nations (not tribes) does Che Jim say exist in the U.S.?
► From EITHER/OR ► BOTH/AND
► FROM Right/Wrong ► Creative Combination
THESIS — You and your friend or sibling disagree about something that happened in the past, what was said in a conversation, or what was agreed to. Argue the case that you are 100% right. Give reasons why you trust your version of events.
ANT-THESIS — Argue the case that your friend or sibling is 100% right. Give reasons why their version of events is rock solid.
SYN-THESIS — Find a way to reconcile these two perspectives.
