Sample Solution

1. Describe one geographic region prior to European contact. What were the defining political, economic, and social features of that place? How was the region in question connected to the rest of Native North America?

Often in American history classrooms, the first classroom period begins when Columbus first arrived on North American shores in 1492 or maybe even five hundred years earlier in the 900s when the Vikings first arrived in North America. The problem with history being taught this way is that it discounts the history and culture of the many Native American societies who lived in America long before Leif Eriksson or Christopher Columbus even knew about the existence of the continent. The lack of Native American history could be due to the lack of Indian testimonials and written history or that America is a largely Eurocentric nation. No matter the reason, the lack of knowledge about these societies has caused many myths to arise about pre-contact Indian societies. However, these societies were very complex, thought out, and constructed to accommodate thousands of Native Americans. An example of these societies would be the Hopewellian culture, which was followed by the Mississippian culture. These societies disprove the myths of pre-contact Indian societies by the towering architecture, interactions with neighboring societies, and the societal hierarchy and roles played by the Mississippians and Hopewellians.