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program!
The Natives of the
Mississippi River Region
The Mississippi Cultures: Cahokia -
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One would think a structure larger than the Great Pyramid in Cairo would
be well known to people within 500 miles of it. Or that a city older,
larger, and better organized than London during its era would be a
celebrated and talked about historical feature in the Western
hemisphere. Yet, until the last few decades, the Cahokia Culture has
remained largely unknown and rarely mentioned. Join Russ Gifford for a
look at this moment in history that should be as well known as the Mayan
and Aztecs, but because they built with dirt, not stone, their story is
rarely told.
The Natives of the
American Southwest
 Learn
the story of the people behind the Pueblos, the Great Houses, and the
Cliff Dwellings. Who were they? Where did they come from? And where did
they go?
We will hear first hand accounts of what early explorers thought when
they stumbled on these abandoned great houses, larger than any building
most had experienced. We will also discuss the construction and how they
got the materials to build them, and why they were built where they
were. Beyond the buildings, which remain awe-inspiring nearly 10
centuries later, we will also investigate the vast trade network that
united these people - and their possible connection to other native
groups of the era. What have scientists determined in the past few
decades about the inhabitants of these regions, and their disappearance?
(Above: An early photo of a cliff dwelling, from 1874. Photographed by
William Henry Jackson.)
Chaco Canyon (Session 1) -
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In the middle of an arid desert, massive buildings were home to the
Chaco Culture. The pueblo style, with the multi-level houses built
without mortar or modern means, still stand ten centuries later. The
kivas and courtyards beckon modern explorers looking for an answer to
who built them. How did they live in such an inhospitable region? Where
did they go? Join Russ Gifford to examine how these buildings came to
exist and find clues about the people who lived there.
Mesa Verde and the Four Corners Region
(Session 2) -
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The cliff dwellings built on the mesa in southeastern Colorado are a joy
to behold. The concept seems too fantastic to contemplate with the
sturdy multilevel buildings tucked into openings or built on the
high-topped buttes of the mountain. Further out, near the modern Four
Corners area, are yet other outposts. It seems to speak of an organized
civilization with a large trading network. Join Russ Gifford as he
uncovers the clues of this great mystery!
The Natives of the
Siouxland Rivers Region
The Mill Creek Culture in Iowa and
South Dakota (no Audio) -
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Click here to read the prehistory of
the natives in our region!
The Iroquois Confederacy --
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The League of the Iroquois, located in
the Great Lakes region of what is now upper New York state, is North
America’s first political union of independent nations. From the
structure of their houses to the structure of their vast interrelated
nations, this talk will take us inside this ground-breaking confederacy
that represented a non-aggression pact among the Seneca, Cayuga,
Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk nations. Sometime in the 16th century,
these original five joined together to stop the constant blood feuds,
and the results changed their world for over two centuries. This talk
will focus on their lifestyle and the structure of the Iroquois clan
system. Learn how the long multifamily houses used by these Woodlands
Era cultures became the metaphor for the resulting relationships between
these nations. The important role played by women in the political
system will also be explored, as well as the many notable achievements
of the League.
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