The Northwest before Europeans; People, Land & Resources (1770s - 1790)
Unit 1

Introduction and overview of Unit One Professor Harry Fritz Click on image of Harry for streaming video/audio presentation. For audio only, click here

Introduction and overview for suggested reading (Unit 1)

Key Questions
Keep these ‘key questions’ in mind as you go through the content in the three weeks which make up Unit One.

1. When does history begin in the Northwest? Whose voices should be included in that history?
2. What is the importance of regional history to the national story? What is the importance of the national story to regional history?
3. What do we gain by studying conflicting origin stories (i.e., the standard migration theory versus oral tradition regarding tribal origins and, in some cases, migrations). What is the value of each? Can a single history integrate them in a manner satisfactory to all people involved?
4. How does geography influence the history we tell of a region?
5. In what way does the attempt to integrate traditional Indian oral history change the classical historical story? Can the two ever be fully integrated? Should they be?

Proceed to Week One Content – click here or on button above.