Crossroads+of+Empire


 * Event Title:** Crossroads of Empire: Cultural Exchange and Imperial Rivalry at Old Fort Niagara
 * Date:** July 17-22, 2011
 * Location:** Niagara University, NY
 * Name(s) of Attendees:** Gregory Cooper

Description of Workshops, Classes, Institutes, Etc.:
At this workshop, we used Old Fort Niagara as a "base" from which to explore the relationships between the French, British, Americans, and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) nations, from the settlement of America through the War of 1812. Funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, this workshop was part of the NEH's "Landmarks of American History and Culture" series, which seek to explore a theme in American history through a particular place/landmark. The week included multiple visits to Old Fort Niagara and interaction with the historians and interpreters on site there, as well as presentations by and discussion with Native Americans from the Mohawk and Tuscarora nations (whose people were systematically displaced by encroaching settlers over the centuries). In addition, we attended lectures from a variety of historians, including experts on both Native Americans and on the various conflicts that spanned the time period we studied. Like the Gettysburg workshop, the workshop concluded with group presentations of lesson plans designed to address a variety of topics from the week.

How I Hope to Apply What I Learned At Ransom, and/or, What My Colleagues Might Try at Ransom:
This workshop helped me to both expand my content knowledge about the pre-1812 era of American history and to think about how I might introduce familiar topics through a slightly new lens. Through the Fort visits and formal presentations, I began to consider how to introduce and present to my students issues concerning the role and place of Native Americans throughout the development of the United States; how government addresses issues of environmental policy, land policy, and Native Americans' rights and status; and the importance of place in understanding the dynamics of historical development. Through my interactions with other high school teachers I was able to share teaching strategies and resources, and to brainstorm how I might introduce new dimensions to the typical U.S. History curriculum.

Important Links, Resources, or Contacts:
Through the group projects we all completed at the workshop, I have access to a variety of lesson plans and primary source documents from the time periods we studied. I believe these will all be digitized and shared in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, a "blog" about our experiences can be found at http://crossroadsofempire.blogspot.com/, and information about the workshop itself can be found at http://neh.niagara.edu/.