The USC students Pauline, Andrea, Zack, and Megan taught Ms. Enszer’s class about the Native American in general. They started from the beginning of the new world through perhaps the American Revolution. Native American had a hidden history in which students did not know about until the USC students came and taught my classmates and me. I am currently taking APUSH and we much covered all in which they talked about. Therefore I understand the concept of the Native Americans. The students did teach us information that in my APUSH class we did not learn about. Perhaps because it’s not a necessary topic to spend time in learning but, it is information which is interesting to keep in mind. When they teach my classmates and I about a subject I already went over in APUSH class, it feels like a helpful review. I really appreciate then taking time and coming here to teach the students without us paying them.
Our first class was on [10-04-10] a quick introduction in what we knew about the Indians and what we were eager to learn about them. In my knowing section I wrote “The Spaniards came to the new world by accident. Christopher Columbus wanted to find a shorter route to India because of the trading that they had between themselves. Columbus thought that the world was flat therefore he went west instead of going around Africa in going to India. However, when the Pinta & Nina landed on the Americas Columbus believed that he had encountered Indians that’s why the Native Americans received the name Indians. Even thought the Indians were inferior to the Europeans they had highly agriculture in their culture. Something that still till today we use. The Native American’s population had a rapidly decreasing statistic of deaths and casualties because of the nightmare that the inferior human kind did to them.” The class was also about the difference about being racist and stereotypical when we think about the Native Americans.
They explained the navigation where the Native Americans came from to be settled in the New World. I thought that they came from the south and west, until the students told us that they came from the North West from Alaska. Since the Native Americans were Semi-Sedentary they moved from place to place only taking their most principal object to survive. They did not settle in a specific place because the lack of resources in which they had in their settled place. So therefore once the food and animals were gone they moved on and settled in a different place in where there was more food to survive. We also discussed about the tactics and weapons that they used. I never knew that the arrowhead size was tiny! But Zack explain that they had to be small so that the target in which they were trying to aim at was direct. If the arrowhead was big, it would be more difficult to hunt and bring food home. Therefore, the smaller the object is the more strength it will have. Women were the first homosapiens to live then 40,000 years later men came along. Women did not have offspring because they weren’t from the same species. I learned as well the real definition of species which is Organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Therefore since men and women are from the same species, they can have fertile offspring. The USC student also told us an interesting Native Americans fact in which they had their way in fishing; they did rock walls which in my opinion is a smart way to catch fish.
We were taught of the Native American gender roles. We contrasted the gender roles of today’s U.S.A living to the Native American’s living. Today in America we know that since the people have liberty it is going to be way different then from the Native Americans living. I found out that the Native Americans had a matrilineal living in which the mothers dominate the power of the household. When married the husband has to move in to the mother mother’s house and live there. If they divorced the husband was to be kicked out and did not take anything with him. Children stayed home with the mother. The ultimate authority was giving by the females in this case; men did not have the power in which the men in the United States have. We had an interesting topic in which we learn what a gimblock was. A gimblock is a feminine young boy whom dealed with the pleasures of a man. They parents had the consent of that action and the young boy received gift as a thanking of the Native Americans. In our society that might seem extremely odd and disgusting to us but in their opinion it might seem normal.
Many classes are not this fortunate to receive this type of teaching that the USC students are giving us. Every Monday we learn awesome fact in which are interesting to learn since teenagers would not take time to read books and search in the web interesting facts of the Native Americans. I appreciate the USC students Pauline, Andrea, Zack, and Megan for coming and making Ms.Enszers and making it more exciting and interesting!
