Native Nations Before the American Revolution

Explore life for Native peoples before the American Revolution through videos, maps, background readings, and discussion. Students will learn about Native nations such as the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy), Delaware, Shawnee, Anishinaabe, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Choctaw, and Creek Confederacy (Muskogee). They will examine how Native peoples built communities, traded with others, protected shared land, and responded to increasing pressures from European settlers. The lesson encourages students to consider how Native nations shaped colonial life and why their histories remain essential today.

About the Author:
Jaclyn Jecha is a middle and high school social studies teacher in Wisconsin. She has over 15 years of experience in education, including within museums. Jecha develops inquiry-based, media-rich curriculum that centers diverse voices and historical thinking. She has written resources for PBS Wisconsin, the Center for Civic Education, Retro Report, and the National Park Service. Her passion is helping students see how the past informs their place in the world today.