The history of western expansion in the United States is often taught as a grand adventure - almost always from a Euro-American perspective. In this class, we will be looking at Native perspectives and experiences of western expansion in the 1800s and the lasting impacts. Unfortunately, this topic includes hard histories like genocide, massacres, disease, and other unpleasant topics. I will teach all of this in an age appropriate way without sacrificing the truth. I am a Native person and this class is taught from a Native perspective.

Class 1: In the first class we will talk about Indigenous concepts of land and resource management, a brief overview of treaties and why they matter, Lewis and Clark, Manifest Destiny, the Oregon Trail, military invasion and occupation of the west, and the gold rushes in Oregon and the Black Hills. 

Class 2: The second class will be about the California gold rush, Transcontinental Railroad, the Indian Wars, and the end of treaty making by the US congress.

Class 3: The final class will be about the Apache Wars, reservations, allotment, forced assimilation, killing buffalo as a tactic of genocide, the meaning of genocide, and the past and present impacts of western expansion on Native nations in the US. 

This class is taught with a combination of PowerPoint slideshows and video clips. The class is listed for 70 minutes each meeting, however depending on student discussion and involvement, it may be 65 minutes to 75 minutes each meeting. I leave room for questions and some discussion, but this is a lecture style class without a lot of wiggle room.