Native American Assessment

Your assessment of understanding the Native American Experience is a thesis-driven essay.

We have explored what it means to be a Native American through excerpts, videos, short stories, articles, and primary texts. Using these sources, compose an essay of at least five paragraphs that essentially answers this question:

• How and why have Native Americans struggled with their cultural identity? 

Here are some themes, guided topics, and ideas we have discussed in class:

• The Traditional vs. The Contemporary: How do contemporary Native Americans wrestle with their pasts, both personal and in a larger historical context?
• Spirituality: What is spirituality? What role does it play?
• Pride: How important is pride? How has the concept changed over time?
• Warrior: What does it mean to be a warrior? Why is it important?
• Storytelling: What role does storytelling have in the Native American culture?
• Resistance: How have Native Americans and their leaders resisted assimilation? How have they been assimilated?
• Migration: How were Native Americans forcibly relocated? How did this affect their existence?
• Reservation Life-Alcoholism, poverty, and poor health: Why have so many Native Americans fallen victims to alcoholism, live in poverty, and have poor health?

Link to the Essay
Graphic Organizer