A History of American Indian Achievement
The journey is one that tells three stories: one of remarkable civilizations creating architecture, technology and art that matched the greatest success of any ancient culture. The second story is one of survival: overcoming attempts at extermination by the dominant culture. The final story is one of accomplishment.
- Title ID 28-AIA
- History, American History, Social Studies, American Indian Studies, Anthropology, Minority Achievement
- 8 Programs
- 17 Supplemental Files
- 10th Grade through Post Secondary
- Published by Ambrose Video Publishing Inc./Centre Communications
Included Programs
Supplemental Files
Included Programs
American Indians Populate the North American ContinentRunning time is 28 minutes
American Indians, the history of American Indians and Native American culture and heroes are presented in this first program of American Indian Achievement
Chapter List
- 12,000 B.C. - American Indians Arrive in What Will Become the United States
- The first American Indians migrated to the New World and later established the Clovis culture, as shown by Clovis points and this migration is later explained by modern Indian cultures as in the Hopi myth.
- 10,000 B.C. - Paleo Indians Become the Most Accomplished Stone Age Hunters
- The Paleo Indians became the best Stone Age hunters, developing Clovis points, used by the Clovis Culture, and other fluted points, such as the Folsom points, all of which were used with a spear thrower known as an atlatl.
- 4000 B.C. - Old Copper Culture Initiates Metallurgy in the United States
- The Old Copper Culture had ancient metal workers who created copper artifacts.
- 2000 B.C. - Pecos Culture Produces Sacred Rock Paintings
- The Pecos Culture, is famous for its rock paintings, of which some of this rock art was used in shamanism.
The Golden Age of Ancient American IndiansRunning time is 28 minutes
American Indians, the history of American Indians and Native American culture and heroes are presented in this second program of American Indian Achievement
Chapter List
- 1700 B.C. - Poverty Point Culture Founds First American City
- The Poverty Point Culture was a hunter-gatherer society in Louisiana, who were mound builders and built the first American Indian city.
- 1400 B.C. - American Indians Begin Shift to Agriculture
- American Indian agriculture domesticated Indian corn, beans and squash.
- 300 A.D. - Archaic Upper Great Lakes Cultures Begin Building Effigy Mounds
- The Woodland Culture Indians were mound builders, that were really three groups - Red Ocher, Hopewell and Effigy Culture.
- 800 A.D. - Bow and Arrow Has Spread Across the Continental United States
- The bow and arrow spread throughout the North American continent by 800 A.D.
- 1000 A.D. - Mississippian Culture Establishes Cahokia As Their Capital
- Mississippian Culture, including the capital at Cahokia, Aztalan and Ocmulgee in Georgia, was a group of American Indian city-states, who were mound builders, creating earthworks monuments.
The Great TransitionRunning time is 29 minutes
American Indians, the history of American Indians and Native American culture and heroes are presented in this third program of American Indian Achievement
Chapter List
- 1100 - Anasazi Build Cliff Cities at Mesa Verde
- The Anasazi built cliff dwellings and ceremonial kivas at Mesa Verde, one of the American Indian City States, and using maize, they created a maize culture that passed down to their descendants, the Pueblo people.
- 1142 - Iroquois League Creates Constitution
- The Iroquois and the Iroquois League created the Iroquois League Constitution, establishing a league of Indian nations as represented by the Haudenosaunee flag, and recorded in a wampum belt.
- 1614 - Pocahontas Marries John Rolfe
- Pocahontas was the daughter of the leader of the Powhatan Confederacy, and she befriended the Jamestown leader, Captain John Smith and married John Rolfe.
- 1621 - Squanto and Massasoit Help Pilgrims Survive
- The Pilgrims were aided by New England Indians, Massasoit and Squanto, such that the Plymouth Plantation succeeded and the Puritans gave thanks through the first Thanksgiving.
Resistance and AcceptanceRunning time is 28 minutes
American Indians, the history of American Indians and Native American culture and heroes are presented in this fourth program of American Indian Achievement
Chapter List
- 1675 - Metacom Leads "King Philip's War"
- King Philip's War, led by Metacom, the Wampanoag chief also known as King Philip, was one of many wars by the English colonies at Jamestown and Plymouth Plantation against Native Americans, including the Pequot War in 1636.
- 1680 - Pope Drives Spanish from Santa Fe
- A charismatic Pueblo Indian, Pope led a revolt against the Spanish in Santa Fe, freeing the Pueblo Indians.
- 1680 - Kateri Tekakwitha, Patroness of Ecology
- The daughter of a Mohawk warrior, Kateri Tekakwitha is the Patroness of Ecology and is on her way to becoming an American Indian Saint.
- 1763 - Ottawa Chief Pontiac's War for Independence
- Chief Pontiac, an America Indian leader, led Native Americans in a war of independence in the old Northwest and Kentucky against British forces and American colonists.
- 1799 - Handsome Lake Founds Longhouse Religion
- An Iroquois leader, Handsome Lake founded the Longhouse religion.
- 1805 - Sacagawea, Interpreter and Guide, Aids Lewis and Clark Western Expedition
- Sacagawea helped Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery Expedition, especially when they met her Shoshone relatives.
The New Indian LeadersRunning time is 26 minutes
American Indians, the history of American Indians and Native American culture and heroes are presented in this fifth program of American Indian Achievement
Chapter List
- 1811 - Chief Tecumseh Leads the Last Great American Indian Confederacy
- At the Battle of Tippecanoe, Shawnee leader Tecumseh was defeated by General William Henry Harrison.
- 1821 - Sequoyah Creates Cherokee System of Writing
- Sequoyah, the great Cherokee Indian, invented the Cherokee system of writing.
- 1833 - Chief Black Hawk Writes His Autobiography
- Chief Black Hawk, who led American Indians in Black Hawk War, which ended in the Massacre at Bad Axe River, also wrote Black Hawk an Autobiography.
- 1835 - Osceola Resists Indian Removal Act
- Osceola led the Seminole Indians in their fight against the Indian Removal Act of 1830, in what is now called the Seminole War.
- 1850 - Chief Sealth Welcomes Settlers to the Pacific Northwest
- Chief Sealth, also known as Chief Seattle, was a leader of the Suquamish Nation and found a way to keep peace between the whites and the Pacific Northwest Indians.
The Plains Indians WarRunning time is 29 minutes
American Indians, the history of American Indians and Native American culture and heroes are presented in this sixth program of American Indian Achievement
Chapter List
- 1861 - Cochise, Undefeated Apache Warrior Hero
- After the Bascom Affair, the Apache leader Cochise, the son in law of Mangas Coloradas, led the Apache Indians in a successful war against whites in Arizona and was never defeated.
- 1864 - Ely Samuel Parker Becomes Adjutant to General Ulysses S. Grant
- Seneca Indian Ely Samuel Parker, the first Indian Commissioner of Indian Affairs, was an adjutant to General Ulysses S. Grant, and wrote out the surrender papers fro Robert E. Lee at Appomattox.
- 1868 - Red Cloud, the Sioux Renaissance Leader
- Red Cloud, one of the greatest of the Sioux warrior chiefs, led Sioux and Cheyenne warriors in the only war the Indians won in the Indian Wars of the 19th century.
- 1875 - Quanah Parker, Legendary Comanche Leader
- Quanah Parker was a Comanche war leader in the Indian Wars of the 19th century.
- 1876 - Sitting Bull & Crazy Horse at the Battle of the Little Bighorn
- Sioux warriors Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse defeated George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn in the 19th century's Indian Wars.
- 1877 - Chief Joseph Leads Brilliant Nez Perce Retreat
- Chief Joseph led the Nez Perce retreat, also known as the Nez Perce Campaign, in the Indian wars of the 19th century.
The Emergence of the American Indian HeroRunning time is 29 minutes
American Indians, the history of American Indians and Native American culture and heroes are presented in this seventh program of American Indian Achievement
Chapter List
- 1883 - Sarah Winnemucca Publishes Her Autobiography
- Sarah Winnemucca was a Paiute Indian who fought for American Indian civil rights.
- 1900 - The La Flesche Family Starts to Preserve American Indian Cultures and Religions
- Indian leader Joseph La Flesche's children, Susette La Flesche, Susan La Flesche, and Francis La Flesche, led the way to preserve American Indian rights, and American Indian heritage.
- 1912 - Jim Thorpe Wins Olympic Gold Medal
- Jim Thorpe who won gold medals at the Olympics, has inspired other American Indian athletes, like Billy Mills, Sam Bradford and Joba Chamberlain.
- 1924 - Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Sets the Stage for Survival of American Indians
- Gertrude Simmons Bonnin was an American Indian leader for American Indian Heritage and Civil rights.
- 1929 - Charles Curtis is Elected Vice President of the United States
- Charles Curtis, the first American Indian Vice President, helped pave the way for American Indian rights.
- 1942 - American Indians Become Heroes in WWII
- WWII American Indian heroes included the Navajo Code Talkers, Ira Hayes, who help raise the flag on Iwo Jima, and General Clarence Tinker.
American Indian RenaissanceRunning time is 28 minutes
American Indians, the history of American Indians and Native American culture and heroes are presented in this eight program of American Indian Achievement
Chapter List
- 1969 - N. Scott Momaday Wins Pulitzer Prize
- Some of the great American Indian authors include N. Scott Momaday, an American author, won the Pulitzer Prize for House Made of Dawn, and Louise Erdrich and Simon Ortiz.
- 1970 - John Echohawk Founds NARF
- Olympian Billy Mills endorsed Native American Rights Fund founder John Echohawk, as the American Indian leader pushing forward for Civil rights and American Indian rights.
- 1973 - Second Battle of Wounded Knee t
- American Indian movement, AIM, held a protest at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
- 1977 - Velarde and Martinez Found the Modern American Indian Art Movement
- Pablita Velarde and Maria Martinez were two American Indian artists who shepherded the contemporary American Indian Art Movement.
- 1985- Wilma Mankiller Becomes Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation
- Wilma Mankiller was elected leader of the Cherokee Nation, one of many Native American women who became leaders in their tribes, was also one of few native American women writers.
- 2002 - Dr. Frank Dukepoo Joins Einstein on Ithaca's Science Center Wall of Inspiration
- Frank Charles Dukepoo, one of the few American Indian scientists worked on the Human Genome Diversity Project.
- 2007 - Jana Mashonee Is Nominated for a Grammy
- Leading American Indian musician and singer Jana Mashonee has helped to preserve American Indian Heritage and Native American music.
Supplemental Files
- A History of American Indian Achievement Timeline
- Blackline Master Quizzes for A History of American Indian Achievement
- Historical Document - 1851 Treaty at Fort Laramie
- Historical Document - 1855 Nez Perce Treaty
- Historical Document - 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty
- Historical Document - Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
- Historical Document - The Constitution of the Iroquois League of Nations
- MARC Records for AIA
- MARC records for the series A History of American Indian Achievement
- Teacher Guide - A History of American Indian Achievement
- Transcription for American Indians Populate the North American Continent
- Transcription for The Golden Age of Ancient American Indians
- Transcription for The Great Transition
- Transcription for Resistance and Acceptance
- Transcription for The New Indian Leaders
- Transcription for The Plains Indians War
- Transcription for The Emergence of the American Indian Hero
- Transcription for American Indian Renaissance