Fascinating Facts: Native American History For Kids

While November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States, learning about the indigenous people who have called North America home for thousands of years is something that can enrich a child’s education at any time of the year.

Native Americans, or indigenous people, have a rich history that’s fascinating and fun for kids to learn about. Facts about Native American history and facts about Native American culture are important for all Americans to understand. By presenting these facts to kids, you will hopefully inspire them to learn throughout their lives about the rich tapestry of indigenous people's culture and lives, and to recognize their trials and tribulations.

Read on to find out about Native American history for kids and a few interesting Native American facts that are great for everyone to learn.

Native Americans: Who Are They?
If you want to find Native American facts for kids, there’s no place better to start than by diving deep into who our country’s indigenous people are.

Native Americans are generally recognized as people who can trace their ancestry to the earliest tribes that lived in what is now the United States. They are also called indigenous Americans or First Americans. How they are referred to typically differs based on what tribe they are a part of. It’s vital to ensure that when speaking about Native Peoples you are being culturally sensitive and respect what they wish to be called.

Currently, the federal government in the United States recognizes 574 tribes. About half of those tribes are associated with Native American reservations, and many more are not recognized officially by the federal government at all.

The biggest thing to impress upon a child when talking to them about Native Americans is that there isn’t one single culture that can be called Native. There are many different tribes in different regions of the country and each one has its own customs, traditions, and cultures to explore.

Why Is It Important To Study Native American History?
There are a lot of false narratives out there when it comes to Native Americans. These need to be corrected, and one of the best ways to do that is through teaching Native American history to children accurately and sensitively.

When children learn more diverse, accurate history in school, they become better informed. Children are the future, and if that future is to include reconciliation for indigenous people and a society that is anti-racist, learning this history is vital. After all, Native American history is a part of the United States, and it deserves to be taught accurately and appropriately to all students.

How To Teach Your Kids About Native American History
When it comes to teaching your children Native American history, one of the best things you can recognize is that you’ve likely also got a lot to learn yourself, so it’s a voyage through history you and your children can take together.

When teaching your children Native American history, you should focus on a few things:

• Ensuring your child knows who Native Americans are and where they came from.
• Being skeptical of the harmful narratives you may encounter, including “facts” you already know.
• Acknowledging land history and the fact that there were already people living here when Europeans arrived.
• Being open to a new point of view.

The unfortunate truth is that Native Americans are often stereotyped in media and education, and have been for a long time. There’s a good chance that the information you learned as a kid is no longer accurate. Seek out reliable sources for new facts and insights and take your children to museums to explore the latest information available.

Intriguing Native American Facts For Kids
The history of native peoples is rich – there’s so much to learn. You may want to pique your child’s interest in this topic by presenting them with some facts that are intriguing and unusual. You can start with a few of these fun facts:

1. Native Americans walked here – DNA technology has opened up a lot of doors, including an understanding of how the first settlers arrived in the United States. About 13,000 years ago, the sea level dropped and a natural land bridge was uncovered that connected what is now Alaska to Siberia. Asian and Siberian people began crossing the land bridge to follow the animals they hunted. Over time, they moved to all corners of North America, including what is now the United States.
2. Christopher Columbus was wrong – When he landed here, the famous explorer Christopher Columbus, who is generally acknowledged to be the first European in what is now the U.S., thought he was in India. That’s why you may hear indigenous people sometimes referred to as “Indians.” That name was used for a long time, but today “Native Americans” is a better descriptor for who these people were and continue to be.
3. Many states are named after Native Americans – Several states got their names from Native American tribes. For example, Iowa is named for the Ioway people, while Massachusetts is a Native American word meaning “about the big hill.”
4. There are a lot of native languages – In the United States there are around 800 different native languages spoken, such as Navajo, Apache, and Choctaw.
5. Teepees were only one type of home for Native Americans – Most people think of teepees when they think of where Native Americans lived, but in fact, each tribe had a different type of lodging they traditionally built. Teepees were used by Native Americans in the plains because they were portable, but people in the Pacific Northwest built plank houses, while the Navajo built hogans in the Southwest part of the country. Some houses were even carved from stone in the cliffs of the desert in the Southwest.

Native American history runs deep and deserves more than just one month of focus. Why not make a resolution this year to learn more about the native peoples of the United States, and to pass that knowledge on to your own children to help them better understand the rich heritage of this land?

Featured image by Boston Public Library on Unsplash

While November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States, learning about the indigenous people who have called North America home for thousands of years is something that can enrich a child’s education at any time of the year.

Native Americans, or indigenous people, have a rich history that’s fascinating and fun for kids to learn about. Facts about Native American history and facts about Native American culture are important for all Americans to understand. By presenting these facts to kids, you will hopefully inspire them to learn throughout their lives about the rich tapestry of indigenous people's culture and lives, and to recognize their trials and tribulations.

Read on to find out about Native American history for kids and a few interesting Native American facts that are great for everyone to learn.

Native Americans: Who Are They?
If you want to find Native American facts for kids, there’s no place better to start than by diving deep into who our country’s indigenous people are.

Native Americans are generally recognized as people who can trace their ancestry to the earliest tribes that lived in what is now the United States. They are also called indigenous Americans or First Americans. How they are referred to typically differs based on what tribe they are a part of. It’s vital to ensure that when speaking about Native Peoples you are being culturally sensitive and respect what they wish to be called.

Currently, the federal government in the United States recognizes 574 tribes. About half of those tribes are associated with Native American reservations, and many more are not recognized officially by the federal government at all.

The biggest thing to impress upon a child when talking to them about Native Americans is that there isn’t one single culture that can be called Native. There are many different tribes in different regions of the country and each one has its own customs, traditions, and cultures to explore.

Why Is It Important To Study Native American History?
There are a lot of false narratives out there when it comes to Native Americans. These need to be corrected, and one of the best ways to do that is through teaching Native American history to children accurately and sensitively.

When children learn more diverse, accurate history in school, they become better informed. Children are the future, and if that future is to include reconciliation for indigenous people and a society that is anti-racist, learning this history is vital. After all, Native American history is a part of the United States, and it deserves to be taught accurately and appropriately to all students.

How To Teach Your Kids About Native American History
When it comes to teaching your children Native American history, one of the best things you can recognize is that you’ve likely also got a lot to learn yourself, so it’s a voyage through history you and your children can take together.

When teaching your children Native American history, you should focus on a few things:

• Ensuring your child knows who Native Americans are and where they came from.
• Being skeptical of the harmful narratives you may encounter, including “facts” you already know.
• Acknowledging land history and the fact that there were already people living here when Europeans arrived.
• Being open to a new point of view.

The unfortunate truth is that Native Americans are often stereotyped in media and education, and have been for a long time. There’s a good chance that the information you learned as a kid is no longer accurate. Seek out reliable sources for new facts and insights and take your children to museums to explore the latest information available.

Intriguing Native American Facts For Kids
The history of native peoples is rich – there’s so much to learn. You may want to pique your child’s interest in this topic by presenting them with some facts that are intriguing and unusual. You can start with a few of these fun facts:

1. Native Americans walked here – DNA technology has opened up a lot of doors, including an understanding of how the first settlers arrived in the United States. About 13,000 years ago, the sea level dropped and a natural land bridge was uncovered that connected what is now Alaska to Siberia. Asian and Siberian people began crossing the land bridge to follow the animals they hunted. Over time, they moved to all corners of North America, including what is now the United States.
2. Christopher Columbus was wrong – When he landed here, the famous explorer Christopher Columbus, who is generally acknowledged to be the first European in what is now the U.S., thought he was in India. That’s why you may hear indigenous people sometimes referred to as “Indians.” That name was used for a long time, but today “Native Americans” is a better descriptor for who these people were and continue to be.
3. Many states are named after Native Americans – Several states got their names from Native American tribes. For example, Iowa is named for the Ioway people, while Massachusetts is a Native American word meaning “about the big hill.”
4. There are a lot of native languages – In the United States there are around 800 different native languages spoken, such as Navajo, Apache, and Choctaw.
5. Teepees were only one type of home for Native Americans – Most people think of teepees when they think of where Native Americans lived, but in fact, each tribe had a different type of lodging they traditionally built. Teepees were used by Native Americans in the plains because they were portable, but people in the Pacific Northwest built plank houses, while the Navajo built hogans in the Southwest part of the country. Some houses were even carved from stone in the cliffs of the desert in the Southwest.

Native American history runs deep and deserves more than just one month of focus. Why not make a resolution this year to learn more about the native peoples of the United States, and to pass that knowledge on to your own children to help them better understand the rich heritage of this land?

Featured image by Boston Public Library on Unsplash

While November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States, learning about the indigenous people who have called North America home for thousands of years is something that can enrich a child’s education at any time of the year.

Native Americans, or indigenous people, have a rich history that’s fascinating and fun for kids to learn about. Facts about Native American history and facts about Native American culture are important for all Americans to understand. By presenting these facts to kids, you will hopefully inspire them to learn throughout their lives about the rich tapestry of indigenous people's culture and lives, and to recognize their trials and tribulations.

Read on to find out about Native American history for kids and a few interesting Native American facts that are great for everyone to learn.

Native Americans: Who Are They?
If you want to find Native American facts for kids, there’s no place better to start than by diving deep into who our country’s indigenous people are.

Native Americans are generally recognized as people who can trace their ancestry to the earliest tribes that lived in what is now the United States. They are also called indigenous Americans or First Americans. How they are referred to typically differs based on what tribe they are a part of. It’s vital to ensure that when speaking about Native Peoples you are being culturally sensitive and respect what they wish to be called.

Currently, the federal government in the United States recognizes 574 tribes. About half of those tribes are associated with Native American reservations, and many more are not recognized officially by the federal government at all.

The biggest thing to impress upon a child when talking to them about Native Americans is that there isn’t one single culture that can be called Native. There are many different tribes in different regions of the country and each one has its own customs, traditions, and cultures to explore.

Why Is It Important To Study Native American History?
There are a lot of false narratives out there when it comes to Native Americans. These need to be corrected, and one of the best ways to do that is through teaching Native American history to children accurately and sensitively.

When children learn more diverse, accurate history in school, they become better informed. Children are the future, and if that future is to include reconciliation for indigenous people and a society that is anti-racist, learning this history is vital. After all, Native American history is a part of the United States, and it deserves to be taught accurately and appropriately to all students.

How To Teach Your Kids About Native American History
When it comes to teaching your children Native American history, one of the best things you can recognize is that you’ve likely also got a lot to learn yourself, so it’s a voyage through history you and your children can take together.

When teaching your children Native American history, you should focus on a few things:

• Ensuring your child knows who Native Americans are and where they came from.
• Being skeptical of the harmful narratives you may encounter, including “facts” you already know.
• Acknowledging land history and the fact that there were already people living here when Europeans arrived.
• Being open to a new point of view.

The unfortunate truth is that Native Americans are often stereotyped in media and education, and have been for a long time. There’s a good chance that the information you learned as a kid is no longer accurate. Seek out reliable sources for new facts and insights and take your children to museums to explore the latest information available.

Intriguing Native American Facts For Kids
The history of native peoples is rich – there’s so much to learn. You may want to pique your child’s interest in this topic by presenting them with some facts that are intriguing and unusual. You can start with a few of these fun facts:

1. Native Americans walked here – DNA technology has opened up a lot of doors, including an understanding of how the first settlers arrived in the United States. About 13,000 years ago, the sea level dropped and a natural land bridge was uncovered that connected what is now Alaska to Siberia. Asian and Siberian people began crossing the land bridge to follow the animals they hunted. Over time, they moved to all corners of North America, including what is now the United States.
2. Christopher Columbus was wrong – When he landed here, the famous explorer Christopher Columbus, who is generally acknowledged to be the first European in what is now the U.S., thought he was in India. That’s why you may hear indigenous people sometimes referred to as “Indians.” That name was used for a long time, but today “Native Americans” is a better descriptor for who these people were and continue to be.
3. Many states are named after Native Americans – Several states got their names from Native American tribes. For example, Iowa is named for the Ioway people, while Massachusetts is a Native American word meaning “about the big hill.”
4. There are a lot of native languages – In the United States there are around 800 different native languages spoken, such as Navajo, Apache, and Choctaw.
5. Teepees were only one type of home for Native Americans – Most people think of teepees when they think of where Native Americans lived, but in fact, each tribe had a different type of lodging they traditionally built. Teepees were used by Native Americans in the plains because they were portable, but people in the Pacific Northwest built plank houses, while the Navajo built hogans in the Southwest part of the country. Some houses were even carved from stone in the cliffs of the desert in the Southwest.

Native American history runs deep and deserves more than just one month of focus. Why not make a resolution this year to learn more about the native peoples of the United States, and to pass that knowledge on to your own children to help them better understand the rich heritage of this land?

Featured image by Boston Public Library on Unsplash