This essay examines the depiction of Native Americans by the US Information Agency (USIA), the bureau charged with explaining American politics to the international public during the Cold War. In the 1950s and 1960s, the USIA broadcast the message that Americans had begun to acknowledge their nation's history of conquest and were working to…

This essay derives from a course called ‘"The Rhetoric of Native America,’" which is a historical-critical survey of Native American primary texts. The course examines the rhetoric employed by Natives to enact social change and to build community in the face of exigencies. The main goal of exploring a native text (particularly, Simon…

Three of the most emotionally charged terms in this era are "race," "racism," and "White privilege." Definitions for these terms vary by individual experiences, beliefs, opinions, and perceptions. K-20 students are rarely exposed to a detailed coverage and critical analysis of the part of U.S. history that includes genocide, territorial…

This article presents an overview of the ongoing colonial context that perpetuates and supports violence against First Nations women. This context must be recognized and changed as a prerequisite to eliminating or reducing this violence. The article includes a discussion of how gender roles have changed under colonization, the extent of violence,…

Discusses the founding of San Antonio, originally San Antonio de Bexar, which, in 1718, came into being as a military settlement involved in Spanish imperial defensive measures. Focuses on the development and continued growth of San Antonio, Texas's most populous city in the 19th century. (CMK)

The varying results of incorporation on the survival of groups such as bands, tribes, chiefdoms and mercantile states can be explained by applying the historical process to the American conquest of the Southwest. The American Southwest (the region covered by Arizona, New Mexico, parts of Texas, California, Utah, Nevada, and Colorado) was occupied…

Addresses the history of Spanish-American missions, discussing the view of missions in church history, their role in the Spanish conquest, and the role and ideas of Herbert E. Bolton. Focuses on differences among Spanish borderlands missions, paying particular attention to the Florida missions. (CMK)

Asserts that environmental history is an important component of the history of the American west. Discusses the historiography of the American west in relationship to environmental issues. Concludes that environmental history opened the door for scholars to study the way human beings interact with the physical world around them. (CFR)

The contents of this compendium are organized in four parts, as follows: Part 1, "Blacks in Transition: An Overview of Afro-Americans," includes: "Introduction," Clement Cottingham, Jr.; "The New Negro," Nathan I. Huggins; "Political Change in the Negro Ghetto, 1900-1940's," Martin Kilson; "Minority Group Psychology: Implications for Social…

This book discusses women's roles in Illinois history from the Indian period and the frontier through the Civil War, the Progressive Era, world wars and depressions to the 1970's. It relates these roles to the larger process of historical development. The authors wrote the book for all those seeking to enlarge their understanding of Illinois…

This comprehensive and up-to-date history of American education encourages critical thinking by offering alternative interpretations of each major historical period. It shows how educational history is nested within and shaped by the larger forces, including mass media, that shape the dissemination of knowledge and power within society.…

Describes the development and evolution of college-level history courses on U.S. western history. Discusses historical resources used in the courses and topics for student discussion. Concludes that the 20th-century west can be used as the foundation for a thematic approach to history instruction. (CFR)

A college-level women's studies course on the experience of American women is presented in three units on the emerging American woman, woman and others, and the transcendent self. Unit 1 focuses on biological and psychological explanations of being female; the socialization process; Black, Native American, and immigrant women; schooling and its…

Contends that, although the history of the American west has always illustrated cultural diversity, the significant role of women has not received sufficient attention. Discusses the role of women, including American Indian women, in the European conquest and settlement of the western areas of the United States. (CFR)

Explains that, until the decay of the post-World War II consensus on U.S. history, the history of American Indians remained in academic limbo. Contends that the events of the 1960s, including the civil rights and antiwar movements, resulted in a strong interest in American Indian studies. (CFR)