Understand the historical and cultural contributions of African Americans Get to know the people, places, and events that shaped the African American experience Want to better understand black history? This comprehensive, straight-forward guide traces the African American journey, from Africa and the slave trade through the Civil War, Jim Crow, and the new millennium. You'll be an eyewitness to the pivotal events that impacted America's past, present, and future - and meet the inspiring leaders who struggled to bring about change. How Africans came to America Black life before - and after - Civil Rights How slaves fought to be free The evolution of African American culture Great accomplishments by black citizens What it means to be black in America today

This book is a comprehensive overview of the history and culture of the peoples who are now known as the First Americans. Author Walter C. Fleming covers the many different tribes that stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific, including compelling biographies of their greatest leaders. He examines the beliefs, customs, legends and the myriad contributions Native Americans have given to modern society, and details the often tragic history of their conquest by European invaders, their treatment-both historical and recent-under the U.S. government, and the harsh reality of life on today's reservations.

A resource for all who teach and study history, this book illuminates the unmistakable centrality of American Indian history to the full sweep of American history. The nineteen essays gathered in this collaboratively produced volume, written by leading scholars in the field of Native American history, reflect the newest directions of the field and are organized to follow the chronological arc of the standard American history survey. Contributors reassess major events, themes, groups of historical actors, and approaches--social, cultural, military, and political--consistently demonstrating how Native American people, and questions of Native American sovereignty, have animated all the ways we consider the nation's past. The uniqueness of Indigenous history, as interwoven more fully in the American story, will challenge students to think in new ways about larger themes in U.S. history, such as settlement and colonization, economic and political power, citizenship and movements for equality, and the fundamental question of what it means to be an American. Contributors are Chris Andersen, Juliana Barr, David R. M. Beck, Jacob Betz, Paul T. Conrad, Mikal Brotnov Eckstrom, Margaret D. Jacobs, Adam Jortner, Rosalyn R. LaPier, John J. Laukaitis, K. Tsianina Lomawaima, Robert J. Miller, Mindy J. Morgan, Andrew Needham, Jean M. O'Brien, Jeffrey Ostler, Sarah M. S. Pearsall, James D. Rice, Phillip H. Round, Susan Sleeper-Smith, and Scott Manning Stevens.

Powerful stories of influential Native Americans—for kids ages 8 to 12 From every background and tribal nation, native people are a vital part of history. This collection of Native American stories for kids explores 15 Native Americans and some of the incredible things they achieved. Kids will explore the ways each of these people used their talents and beliefs to stand up for what's right and stay true to themselves and their community. Becoming a leader—Learn how Sitting Bull led with spiritual guidance and a strong will, and how Tecumseh inspired warriors to protect their communities from white American hostility. Staying strong—Discover athletes like Maria Tallchief, who broke barriers in ballet, and Jim Thorpe, who showed the world that a native man could win Olympic gold. Fighting for change—Find out how Deb Haaland and Suzan Harjo use their activism to raise awareness about Native American issues today. Go beyond other books on Native American history for kids with a closer look at notable native people who helped change the world.

Now revised — the easy-to-understand guide to the story of America Want to better understand U.S. History? This friendly book serves as your tour guide through the important events of America's past and present, introducing you to the people who helped to shape history. From pre-Columbus to the American Revolution, from Watergate to Iraq to Barack Obama, you'll discover fascinating details that you won't find in dry history texts! They're coming to America — explore early civilizations, meet Native Americans, and see how the development of the English colonies led to slavery and the American Revolution From Thomas Jefferson to Abraham Lincoln — examine the contributions of great Americans as well as the discovery of gold, the birth of California, the Civil War, and Manifest Destiny America grows up — be there during the conquering of the West, industrial development, and the invention of the light bulb and the telephone The impact of the World Wars — understand the sweeping changes these epochal events brought to America and the rest of the world The Cold War, Camelot, and Clinton — take a closer look at the Korean War and communism, the fabulous '50s, JFK, Vietnam, Nixon and Watergate, Reaganomics, and the Clinton years From the '90s to now — witness the birth of the microchip, the impact of hanging chads in a presidential election, the largest terrorist attack on American soil, and the growing economic crisis Open the book and find: Ten important events that defined American culture Interesting Americans, from presidents to gangsters to sports heroes How America fought to win independence from England Details about all the major wars and their long-term effects Insight into the roots of slavery Inventions that changed life for Americans The impact of the atomic bomb The Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence

Call them Native Americans, American Indians, indigenous peoples, or first nations — a vast and diverse array of nations, tribes, and cultures populated every corner of North America long before Columbus arrived. Native American History For Dummies reveals what is known about their pre-Columbian history and shows how their presence, customs, and beliefs influenced everything that was to follow. This straightforward guide breaks down their ten-thousand-plus year history and explores their influence on European settlement of the continent. You'll gain fresh insight into the major tribal nations, their cultures and traditions, warfare and famous battles; and the lives of such icons as Pocahontas, Sitting Bull and Sacagawea. You'll discover: How and when the Native American's ancestors reached the continent How tribes formed and where they migrated What North America was like before 1492 How Native peoples maximized their environment Pre-Columbian farmers, fishermen, hunters, and traders The impact of Spain and France on the New World Great Warriors from Tecumseh to Geronimo How Native American cultures differed across the continent Native American religions and religious practices The stunning impact of disease on American Indian populations Modern movements to reclaim Native identity Great museums, books, and films about Native Americans Packed with fascinating facts about functional and ceremonial clothing, homes and shelters, boatbuilding, hunting, agriculture, mythology, intertribal relations, and more, Native American History For Dummies provides a dazzling and informative introduction to North America's first inhabitants.

Written by distinguished plains archaeologist Larry J. Zimmerman, this richly illustrated text is an introduction to the life, myth, and art of the indigenous peoples of the United States and Canada. The author ably conveys the profound appreciation the native North Americans had—and continue to have—of life, death, and the cosmos, and the interconnectedness of all things material and spiritual.

A chronicle of American indigenous life, this guide captures the history of the complex societies that lived in North America when European explorers first appeared on the continent. Not only a history of tribal nations, this exploration also includes profiles of famous Native Americans and their many contributions--from early leaders to superstar athletes, dancers, astronauts, authors, and actors. Readers will learn about Indian culture through hands-on activities, such as planting a Three Sisters Garden, making beef jerky in a low-temperature oven, weaving a basket out of folded newspaper strips, deciphering a World War II Navajo Code Talker message, and playing Ball-and-Triangle. An important look at life before the settlers until present day, this resource shows that Native American history is the history of all Americans.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY: A CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF ITS PLACE ON THE WORLD STAGE. Native American History is a breakthrough reference guide, the first book of its kind to recognize and explore the rich, unfolding experiences of the indigenous American peoples as they evolved against a global backdrop. This fascinating historical narrative, presented in an illuminating and thought-provoking time-line format, sheds light on such events as: * The construction of pyramids--not only on the banks of the Nile but also on the banks of the Mississippi * The development of agriculture in both Mesopotamia and Mexico * The European discovery of a continent already inhabited by some 50 million people * The Native American influence on the ideas of the European Renaissance * The unacknowledged advancements in science and medicine created by the civilizations of the new world * Western Expansion and its impact on Native American land and traditions * The key contributions Native Americans brought to the Allied victory of World War II And much more! This invaluable history takes an important first step toward a true understanding of the depth, breadth, and scope of a long-neglected aspect of our heritage.

Discusses the prehistoric peoples who occupied the Americas, describing the civilizations of such advanced cultures as the Iroquois, Cherokee, and the Zuni, and the technical achievements of various other Native American groups.