Major Problems in American Indian History [Paperback]

This text presents a carefully selected group of readings, on topics such as European encounters and contemporary Native American activism that allow students to evaluate primary sources, test the interpretations of distinguished historians, and draw their own conclusions. This is well organized, intelligently conceived and expertly executed. The level of the material, in terms of the degree of sophistication [&] is consistent and appropriate. I have seen the series used in upper-level undergraduate courses and graduate courses and I think it works equally well in both. The strengths of the anthology are the strengths of the entire series. The combination of primary documents and synthesis provide students with a blend that is apparent in ways it is not in other texts. The willingness to engage evolving interpretations and disagreements among historians is another strength that forces students to consider evidence and to provide meaningful analysis. Clearly, the combination of a wide range of scholars is another strength. The approach reinforces in students the notion that history is a dynamic subject, whose practitioners do more than relate facts. The selection of primary source materials perfectly illustrates the themes of each of the chapters. They are easy to use in discussions with the students because they are generally pithy and memorable. The articles chosen for each chapter compliment each other well, whether they approach the same subject in different ways, or illuminate differing viewpoints on the same subject. The chapter sequencing and organization works well....It's wonderful to have such a comprehensive text that uses primary sources to illustrate points being made in the articles. And then the articles in each chapter compliment each other well. When I use a Major Problems text, I can always count on students commenting on the Primary sources, and understanding pretty well what the article authors are trying to convey. This makes for excellent dilÓ+