NORTHERN LIGHTS CHAPTER 2 : EVIDENCE FROM THE PAST

6th Grade Social Studies

CHAPTER 2: EVIDENCE FROM THE PASTTerms to Know

petroglyph—a rock carving made by people elder—an older member of a community who is respected for

his or her knowledge and wisdom archaeologist—a scientist who studies past human life and

activities by examining physical evidence such as tools, fire pits, and ruins from dwellings

perspective—the way a person sees and understands the world; based on education, culture, time period, and home

oral history—the purposeful retelling of stories about the past events and legends of a group in order to teach about that group’s culture

artifact—any object made, used or altered by humans scientific method—a process using experiments and careful

observation to test ideas and theories hypothesis—an assumption, educated guess, or theory

Introduction

Glaciers have covered the Midwest, Minnesota, and Canada many times.

As glaciers moved, they created the landscape, left behind water to make lakes and rivers, hills and mountains, and form rocks.

Humans started living in Minnesota 12,000 years ago

7,000 years ago—started leaving marks at Jeffers

Messages From the Past

Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site—important collection of ancient rock carvings

Petroglyphs can tell us about the people who made the carvings, how they lived, and what they may have believed.

Carvings—some we recognize, some we don’t American Indian elders—Jeffers=sacredArchaeologists—Jeffers=important info on

people, time and place

One Way of Knowing: Oral History

Native Americans keep history aliveOral History Stories

Happened long time ago Teach lessons Explain why things are Future

Don’t know who made carvings at Jeffers Many people from various groups could have left them Explorers, traders, Mandan, Iowa, Ottowa, Omaha,

Hidatsa, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Winnebago, Dakota Oral histories of different tribes may help interpret

Oral History Interpretation of ‘The Hand’

Friendship Handshake Leaving a sign of peace

Grief Wipe tears with palms Burial ground?

Death ‘The Hand’ constellation—when they passed away,

they would go through the constellation on a spirit journey

Another Way of Knowing: Archaeology

Jeffers Petroglyphs Who made the carvings? Where did the people who

made them come from? Use different methods to find the answers

Comparing Experiments—using scientific method

Scientific Method:1. Ask a Question2. State a Hypothesis3. Perform Experiment4. Record Findings5. Reach a Conclusion

Learning From Each Other

Archaeologists can use elders’ oral historiesElders can use archaeologists’ to find

information about their historiesDon’t always agreeAgree: Jeffers Petroglyphs show that people

have lived in Minnesota for a very long time

The Government Protects Burial Mounds

MN has several burial mounds (1,500-2,000 yrs old)

As MN was settled many burial mounds were found and thousands were destroyed (25,000 to 5,000)

Laws passed Protect human burials (1979) Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation

Act Return American Indian items to descendants

Human remains, sacred items