Native Americans of Northern New England
In this course students will be introduced to Native Americans of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine from pre-European contact to present. Following a survey of Abenaki peoples and the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, and Maliseet, we will explore the connection between settlement patterns, population increase, and subsistence economies based on reading assignments. Classroom discussions within a seminar format will focus on the following subjects: peopling of the Americas; wild plant domestication transition to cultigen horticulture; Native American impact on natural ecology; present-day popular myths and misinformation about Native Americans; and the continuing struggle of Native American tribes seeking recognition from state and federal governments.