Lesson Plan: Michigan’s Indigenous People in the Civil War
From the first contact between Europeans and Native peoples in North America centuries ago, the interaction between the two has been dramatic and full of conflict. When the United States declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776 and formed a new nation under the Constitution of 1787, the issues of co-existence shifted exclusively to those here on this soil.
Many native tribes were displaced due to European emigration. In Michigan, the story is complicated. French explorers and missionaries were the first Europeans to visit, rather than the British or Spanish, and their interaction with the Indigenous peoples did not involve the same kinds of policies. Review an exhibit on “French Colonial Michigan” found at: https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/ResearchResources/Michigan_Material_Statewide/FrenchColonialMichigan/Pages/default.aspx *
The Library of Congress has resources on point, found at: https://www.loc.gov/collections/pioneering-the-upper-midwest/articles-and-essays/history-of-the-upper-midwest-overview/french-lead-the-way/ *
The Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University contains resources helpful to this study. Check out the drop-down menu on “Native American Material” found at: https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/ResearchResources/Native_American_Material/Pages/default.aspx *
Learn about the tribes that are recognized today in Michigan, and research their storied heritage. Begin at the State of Michigan website: https://www.michigan.gov/som/0,4669,7-192-29701_41909---,00.html *
Check out Native information sources, such as:
https://www.saulttribe.com/enterprises/michigan-indian-press *
https://www.petoskeyarea.com/media/area-history/odawa-indians/ *