Lesson: The History of Early Michigan

By Jeff Nitchman

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary Source Secondary Source

Original documents

Relics or Artifacts

Creative Works

Examples:

◦ Native American writings

◦ Native American

weavings and pottery

Publication

Examples:

◦ History textbook

◦ Book of writing on French-

Indian war

◦ Encyclopedias

Primary or Secondary?

SECONDARY!

SECONDARY!

PRIMARY!

Ellenm1, Life on the Move-Blackfeet, January 9, 2010, Creative Commons Attribution

US department of interior, Folsom Point, December 6, 2006, public domain

Todd Mecklem, Encyclopedia Britannica Volumes, March 26, 2008, Creative Commons Attribution-noncommercial-noderivs

In social sciences

◦ Numbers gathered to…

Studies relationships of people

Events

Environment

Very important in History

◦ Must be accurate

Not all things have primary sources

Use of Primary Sources

When primary are not available

Writing to people

◦ Newspaper, journals, magazines

Sometimes they are generalized

May be biased

◦ Shows favor to one side

Use of Secondary Sources

First inhabited by

Indigenous tribes

◦ American Indians

Many different tribes

◦Ojibwa, Menominee,

Huron, Ottawa,

Potawatomi

America Before European Discovery

Heather M, P1000574, May 10, 2008, Creative Commons Attribution

Common mistake!

◦ American Indians worshipped totem poles

◦ But really…. Represented equal relationship of man & animal

Believed in one creator

Appreciated nature

◦ Fish, birds, sun, etc…

Everything has a purpose

General Native American Beliefs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/the-o/2078239353/

The Chippewas!◦ Named after their language

Council of 3 fires◦ “older brother”

Largest Great Lakes tribe Kitche-Manido

◦ First leader Originated dream catchers

Ojibwa tribe

Keith Davenport, Dream Catcher, July 2, 2006, Creative Commons attribution-noncommmercial-noderivs

Ojibwa chief, Whitney Gallery Photograph collection, 1865, public domain

Strong rituals & spiritual beliefs

◦ Believed in many different things

Lived in wiigiwaams(wigwam)

◦ Birch bark & willow saplings

Originated in Eastern America

Ojibwa Tribe (cont.)

Eastman Johnson, Ojibwe Wigwam at Grand Portage, 1857, Public Domain

Council of 3 fires

◦ “middle brother”

Known as the traders

◦ Good at trading and bartering

Lived in wigwams

Farmers

Allied British in wars

Ottawa (Odawa) Tribe

SpeedyGonsales, Native-North American Indian, March 31, 2007, Creative Commons Attribution

Trading Goods

◦Sunflower oil, furs & skins

◦Rugs & mats, tobacco

◦Medicinal roots & herbs

Ottawa style Dress

◦Lots of tattoos

◦Faces painted many colors

◦Noses & ears pierced

Ottawa Tribe (cont.)

Chrisjfry, Native American Rugs, November 24, 2006, Creative Commons attribution-noncommercial-no derivs

Council of 3 fires◦“youngest brother”

Occupied 30,000,000 acres in Michigan

Tecumseh’s war, War of 1812

Originally hunters◦Learned farming in

Wisonsin Discovered horses in

1760’s Polygamy

Potawatomi Tribe

Unknown, Chief Shabbona of the Potawatomi tribe, 1908, Public Domain

Potawatomi Style Dress

◦ No shirts (pre-European

contact)

◦ Deerskin shirts(post-

European contact)

◦ Painted red & black

◦ Necklaces, beads, shells

Potawatomi legends

◦ Nanaboozhoo (nan-nah-

boh-zhoh)

Culture’s hero

◦ Gitchi Manito

“Great Spirit”, creator

◦ Windigo

Evil man-eating spirit

Potawatomi Tribe (cont.)

Inhabited Upper Michigan◦ Wisconsin also

Relatively small tribe

“good seed”, “wild rice people”

Hunted for food Active in Second

Fox War

Menominee Tribe

PastReflections, Menominee Indian Reservation, 1913-18, Public Domain

AKA Wyandot Tribe

Come from Iroquoian

descent

Maize & fish

◦ Main diet

1634

◦ Lots died, due to epidemics

Lived in Longhouses◦ Sometimes over

100m tall◦ Saplings for walls◦ Leaves and grass

for roof◦ Birch bark to cover

walls

Huron Indians

Samantha Decker, Come Hear My People’s Story, April 3, 2010, Creative Commons Attribtuion-noncommercial-no derivs

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/ottawa/ottawahist.htm

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/pottawatomie/pottawatomiehist.htm

http://www.native-languages.org/potawatomi-legends.htm http://www.wikipedia.org/ http://www.native-languages.org/ojibwe.htm http://paullife.tripod.com/huronindians.html http://www.essortment.com/all/menominenative_rmrt.htm

Credits