One State-Many Nations: Native Americans of Ohio
This PBS Western Reserve multimedia project studies the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Native American nations that have populated Ohio since prehistoric times. Using the print and Web resources that support the series, students will meet the nations and their leaders through a fun and interactive collection of exercises.
Educational Resources
Produced: 2004
Subject Area: Social Studies
Grade Level: 4-6
Resources: One State-Many Nations: Native Americans of Ohio Teacher Guide
This project studies the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Native American nations that have populated Ohio since prehistoric times. Produced 2004. (Grades 4-6)
They came to our state more than 12,000 years ago. Some believe they crossed a land bridge from Siberia to Alaska and migrated south. Prehistoric Ohioans looks at the Paleo, Archaic, Adena, Hopewell, Whittlesey and Fort Ancient peoples. See who lived, hunted, gathered, farmed and built mysterious mounds in Ohio.
Wherever you look in Ohio, you still find the influence of Native Americans. Native American influences have become part of the modern fabric of Ohio. Look at the names of cities, counties, parks and rivers. Look at our sports teams. Native Americans Today also looks at stereotypes of Native Americans that exist today.
What was daily life like for Ohio's historic Native Americans? What did they eat? How did they dress? What were their houses like? The answers depend on where people lived and what their tribal traditions were. Historic Native Americans shows how our ancestors used the gifts the Creator gave them to feed, clothe and house their families.
Native American people of Ohio, like those throughout North America, had many deeply held spiritual beliefs. It was and is common to have a belief in a Creator, responsible for the creation of the world. Native American Spiritual Life deals with some of these beliefs.
What happened to the Shawnee, the Seneca, the Mingo, the Delaware and the Wyandotte? Where are the great nations of Ohio today? The Removal explains the two main causes of Ohio's Native American population decrease: cultural compression and European settlers moving into Ohio.