America's National Monuments: Legacy of the Great Plains
Designated by U.S. Presidents, America's National Monuments preserve significant pieces of the country's history, ecology, geology and beauty for all Americans.
- Title ID 43-NM
- History, American History, Science, Social Studies
- 10 Programs
- 22 Supplemental Files
- 10th Grade through Post Secondary
- Published by Ambrose Video Publishing Inc./Centre Communications
Included Programs
Supplemental Files
Reviews
Included Programs
Agate Fossil Beds National MonumentRunning time is 8 minutes
American Indian Studies and Earth Science will be discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- The Sioux Indians, their famous warrior leader Red Cloud, and mammal fossils are profiled.
- Science and Nature
- Fossils and mammal fossils are focused on at Agate Springs National Monument.
- History and Culture
- At the end of the 19th century's Indian Wars, paleontologists Cope and O. C. Marsh, were aided in fossil colleting by the Sioux Indian nation leader, Red Cloud.
Alibates Flint Quarries National MonumentRunning time is 9 minutes
American Indian Studies, Earth Science and the importance of the flint quarries to early American Indians are discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- The quarries show Alibates Flint, spear points and petroglyphs.
- Science and Nature
- Alibates Flint Quarries are located on the Llano Estacado, the Staked Plains, where Alibates Flint and flint were quarried.
- History and Culture
- Paleo Indians, known as the Clovis Culture lived in this area and were followed by the Antelope Creek Nation, and thousands of years later at Palo Duro Canyon U.S. Army Colonel Ranald MacKenzie ended the Indian War with the Kiowa and Comanche in 1874.
Capulin Volcano National MonumentRunning time is 10 minutes
Earth Sciences, Anthropology and Geology are discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- The Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field, Capulin Volcano and other volcanoes are located.
- Science and Nature
- Volcanoes, cinder cones, lava flows, basaltic rocks, magma, tectonic movement and hot spots can be found at Capulin Volcano National Monument.
- History and Culture
- Black cowboy George McJunkin found a Folsom Point opening up a new era in North American Archaeology.
Devils Tower National MonumentRunning time is 9 minutes
Earth Sciences and Geology are discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- Devils Tower is one of the planet's great monoliths.
- Science and Nature
- Lava formed the monolith and later erosion fractured the magma and now lichens cover the rocks.
- History and Culture
- Colonel Richard Irving Dodge gave the monolith its name and it has become a destination for rock climbing on the Great Plains.
Fort Union National MonumentRunning time is 9 minutes
Environmental Studies and American History concerning the Santa Fe Trail and settling the southwest are discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- After the Santa Fe trail opened up the western frontier, Fort Union was used by the U.S. Army in the Indian Wars.
- Science and Nature
- The prairie around Fort union was good for wild horses and Texas Longhorn cattle.
- History and Culture
- After William Becknell crossed the Great American Desert, creating the Santa Fe Trail, U.S. Army Dragoons used Fort Union in the Indian Wars against the Comanche, and forces from the fort defeated Confederate soldiers at Glorietta Pass.
Homestead National MonumentRunning time is 12 minutes
Environmental Studies and Sociology, as well as the importance of the Homestead Act to settling the American West are discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- The Homestead Act was passed during the Civil War to help settle the Great Plains.
- Science and Nature
- The Tall Grass Prairie of the Great Plains is part of the larger prairie and is a prairie ecosystem.
- History and Culture
- During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act of 1862 and settlers were able to get land where they built sod houses from prairie sod.
Jewel Cave National MonumentRunning time is 7 minutes
Earth Sciences and Geology are discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- Jewel Cave one of the nation's oldest monuments is located in the Black Hills, and is place to study caves, stalactites and stalagmites.
- Science and Nature
- Caves and cave formations of the Black Hills are at Jewel Cave National Monument.
- History and Culture
- Caving or spelunking can be enjoyed at Jewel Cave
Little Big Horn National MonumentRunning time is 12 minutes
American Indian Studies, especially the Little Big Horn Battle, is discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- At the Little Big Horn, George Armstrong Custer was defeated by Sioux and Cheyenne warriors.
- Science and Nature
- The Short Grass Prairie of the Great Plain can be seen at Little Big Horn National Monument.
- History and Culture
- At the Battle of the Little Big Horn during the Indian Wars, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse defeated Custer and the only survivors were the commands of Benteen and Reno.
Pipestone National MonumentRunning time is 11 minutes
American Indian Studies, Earth Science and the importance of the pipestone quarries to American Indians are discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- Native American peace pipes are made from pipestone, which is quarried at Pipestone National monument, first visited by white men in the Nicolette, John C. Fremont expedition of 1838.
- Science and Nature
- The pipestone, also known as Catlinite, at the Pipestone National Monument was laid down during the Precambrian Era and later uncovered by glaciers.
- History and Culture
- Pipestone used for peace pipes was quarried by the Yankton Sioux and is part of Sioux legend, a legend referred to by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem, The Song of Hiawatha.
Scotts Bluff National MonumentRunning time is 11 minutes
Earth Science and Geology are examined, and the importance of Manifest Destiny in the settling of America is discussed.
Chapter List
- Virtual Tour
- Scotts Bluff tells the story of the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express.
- Science and Nature
- Scotts Bluff was formed through mountain building followed by erosion and is today part of the Mixed Grass Prairie.
- History and Culture
- The Pioneer and the pioneer woman crossed the Great Plains via the Oregon Trail and the Mormon Trail, and after Scotts bluff, the immigrants went through Wyoming's South Pass on their way to the west coast.
Supplemental Files
- Blackline Master Quizzes
- Directions to Monuments
- Historical Document - Archaeological Resources Protection Act
- Historical Document - Homestead Act 1862
- Historical Document - National Antiquities Act 1906
- Historical Document - National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
- Historical Document - Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
- List of Plains National Monuments by date founded
- List of Plains National Monuments by State
- MARC Records for NM
- MARC records for the series America's National Monuments: Legacy of the Great Plains
- Presidential Bios
- Teacher Guide - National Monuments The Great Plains
- Transcription for Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
- Transcription for Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
- Transcription for Capulin Volcano National Monument
- Transcription for Devils Tower National Monument
- Transcription for Fort Union National Monument
- Transcription for Homestead National Monument
- Transcription for Jewel Cave National Monument
- Transcription for Little Big Horn National Monument
- Transcription for Pipestone National Monument
- Transcription for Scotts Bluff National Monument
Reviews
"Shot in high definition, this beautifully lensed four-Program series...looks at 10 U.S. National Monuments that showcase the rich history and geologic diversity of America's Great Plains. Each half -hour disc is jam-packed with gorgeous on-location footage, archival photos, and informative interviews and commentary on historical, scientific, and cultural aspects of the various monuments...Highly recommended."
Video Librarian