SS 140: NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS 

PROFESSOR LAGANA

                    FALL 2009: SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR A RESEARCH PAPER

Your research paper can be on any aspect of American Indian culture or history, past or present. To make the job of choosing a topic a little easier for you, here’s a list of some suggested general topics. You do not have to pick one of these suggested topics; these are only suggestions. Feel free to come up with your own topic for a paper.

Remember: you have to give me a topic for your paper by Monday,  October 26 at the latest.  Along with your topic I’d also like a brief outline of your paper (this outline must be typed, not handwritten). If you hand in your outline after October 26, the grade you get on your research paper will be lowed by one-half a grade (a B paper will be reduced to a B-). Keep in mind that these are very general ideas for a paper. The actual topic you choose should be focused on something specific. If you have any doubts or questions about your ideas for a topic, either stop by my office during office hours or send me an email.

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1. The first migrations of people into North America. What have archaeologists and other scientists been able to learn about the First Americans: who were they, where did they come from, how did they get here, when did they arrive, etc.

2. The prehistory of North America: what was life like here before the European invasion?

3. First contacts between Europeans and native peoples (keep in mind that the date of first contact varied depending on the specific part of North America).

4. The impact of the fur trade on native peoples and cultures.

5. The policies of European countries toward native peoples and cultures.

6. Choose one of the culture areas discussed in your textbook and write a paper about one or two of the various peoples who lived there.

7. American Indians and their interaction with the natural environment.

8. Native languages of North America.

 9. America Indian music.

10. American Indian art.

11. American Indian religions.

12. The complex civilizations of Mesoamerica (the term Mesoamerica is used to refer to what are now Mexico and some of the countries in Central America): peoples and cultures such as the Aztecs, Maya, Zapotec, etc.

13. Native cultures of the Caribbean sea.

14. Policies of the U.S. government toward its native peoples.

15. The Trail of Tears: during the 19th century the United States government forced thousands of Cherokee out of their homes in the Southeast and forced them to move to what’s now the state of Oklahoma.

16. The wars between the U.S. government and native peoples during the 19th century (for example, a paper on what’s known as Custer’s Last Stand).

17. A paper on how native peoples have been presented in the media: movies, TV, literature, etc.)

18. A paper on the controversy over the use of American Indians symbols and images by sports teams in the United States.

20 American Indian casinos.

21. American Indian women, past or present.

22. American Indian foods.

23. American Indian medicine,

24. The legal status of native peoples in the United States today.

25. American Indian education.

26.  A paper on how native peoples used plants for medicinal (and other) purposes.

27. A paper on the Native American Church (more commonly known as the Peyote Church.

28. American Indian political activism (for example, a paper on the American Indian Movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s.

29. Human sacrifice in Aztec culture.

30. You can also look through the material in the textbook and your lecture notes for ideas about a topic.

These papers are due the week of November 30, any day that week Monday-àThursday. The last day for handing in your research papers is Thursday, December 3. Any paper handed in after December 3 will be penalized ½ of a grade for lateness.

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