Dec. 14, 1763: Conestoga Massacre
White settlers massacred all inhabitants of Conestoga Indian Town, leading to escalating tensions across the state of Pennsylvania.
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Theme: Native American
Below are lessons, books, films, and more on Indigenous history. We also recommend checking out the Abolish Columbus Day campaign and the list of books for pre-K – 12 recommended by American Indians in Children’s Literature, posted at Social Justice Books.
The Rediscovery of America for Young People
Book — Non-fiction. By Ned Blackhawk, adapted by Rebecca Stefoff. 2026. 576 pages.
Weaves five centuries of Native and non‑Native histories, from Spanish colonial exploration to the rise of Native American self-determination in the late twentieth century and its evolution in the twenty-first century.
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Weaves five centuries of Native and non‑Native histories, from Spanish colonial exploration to the rise of Native American self-determination in the late twentieth century and its evolution in the twenty-first century.
The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History
Book — Non-fiction. By Ned Blackhawk. 2024. 616 pages.
A retelling of U.S. history that acknowledges the enduring power, agency, and survival of Indigenous peoples, yielding a truer account and revealing anew the varied meanings of the United States.
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A retelling of U.S. history that acknowledges the enduring power, agency, and survival of Indigenous peoples, yielding a truer account and revealing anew the varied meanings of the United States.
How to Make Amends: A Lesson on Reparations
Teaching Activity. By Ursula Wolfe-Rocca, Alex Stegner, Chris Buehler, Angela DiPasquale, and Tom McKenna.
Students meet dozens of advocates and recipients of reparations from a variety of historical eras to grapple with the possibility of reparations now and in the future.
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Students meet dozens of advocates and recipients of reparations from a variety of historical eras to grapple with the possibility of reparations now and in the future.
The People vs. Columbus, et al.
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow with contributions from members of the Taíno Community. Rethinking Schools. 13 pages.
A trial role play asks students to determine who is responsible for the death of millions of Taínos on the island of Hispaniola in the late 15th century.
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A trial role play asks students to determine who is responsible for the death of millions of Taínos on the island of Hispaniola in the late 15th century.
Native American Activism: 1960s to Present
Overview of Native American activism since the late 1960s, including protests at Mt. Rushmore, Alcatraz, Standing Rock, and more.
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We Shall Remain: America Through Native Eyes
Film. PBS. 2009. 450 minutes.
Three hundred years of Native American history.
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Three hundred years of Native American history.
‘Don’t Take Our Voices Away’: A Role Play on the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change
Teaching Activity. By Julie Treick O’Neill and Tim Swinehart. Rethinking Schools. 16 pages.
A role play on the Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change asks students to develop a list of demands to present to the rest of the world at a climate change meeting.
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A role play on the Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change asks students to develop a list of demands to present to the rest of the world at a climate change meeting.
Nov. 3, 1972: Trail of Broken Treaties Caravan Occupied the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Protesters from the Trail of Broken Treaties Caravan occupied the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) offices in Washington, D.C. for six days.
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Standing with Standing Rock: A Role Play on the Dakota Access Pipeline
Teaching Activity. By Ursula Wolfe-Rocca, Bill Bigelow, and Andrew Duden. Article by Ursula Wolfe-Rocca. Rethinking Schools. 15 pages.
A role play helps students recognize the issues at stake in the historic struggle of the Standing Rock Sioux to block construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline.
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A role play helps students recognize the issues at stake in the historic struggle of the Standing Rock Sioux to block construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline.
Feb. 10, 1780: Paul Cuffe and Other Free Blacks Petition for the Right to Vote
Paul Cuffee and other free Blacks petitioned the Massachusetts government to give African and Native Americans the right to vote.
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Feb. 6, 1976: AIM Organizer Leonard Peltier Captured
American Indian Movement (AIM) organizer Leonard Peltier was arrested in 1976 for a crime he says he did not commit. He remained imprisoned for nearly 50 years, despite international campaigns and calls for his release.
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Dec. 18, 1786: United Indian Nations Demand U.S. Government Stop Seizing Land
Indigenous tribes formed the United Indian Nations to put a stop to U.S. government seizures of Native lands.
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American Revolution: Haudenosaunee Perseverance
Digital collection. In this lesson offered by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, students examine the challenges faced by the Haudenosaunee resulting from the American Revolution and their acts of perseverance in response.
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