Sample Topics 2015-2016
Exploration, Encounters & Exchange
Courtesy of Our Cultural Partners
Center of The American West
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Japanese Internment at Amache
Ancestral Puebloans at Mesa Verde
Trade in Transition at Bent's Fort
Homesteading on the Arid Plains at Keota
Lincoln Hills and Civil Rights in Colorado
The Ludlow Massacre
Additionally, here are a few topics that CAW research staff have expertise in that we'd be willing
to talk about with students:
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Rocky Mountain National Park (Sam Bock)
Jean Baptiste Charbonneau - Sacajawea's son and a much more interesting angle to take
on the Lewis & Clark expedition (Sam Bock)
Sand Creek Massacre (Brooke Neely)
Oil Shale - different from what's involved in fracking, oil shale was a bid deal in
Colorado the 1920s, 1970s/80s, and the late 2000s (Jason Hanson)
Molly Brown Museum
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Margaret’s Travels in Asia-writing about these cultures, including caste system.
Carnival of Nations-Denver event featuring different nations
Ludlow-Margaret working with miners in Ludlow with miners after the massacre
Margaret’s work with various different groups including miners, suffragettes, The
French, WWI Soldiers, Juveniles, Politics, and travels across the world.
Stephen H. Hart Library & Research Center at History Colorado
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Settlers in Colorado during and after the gold rush (1860-1900)
Exploration and archaeology at Mesa Verde (the Wetherill brothers)
Bent's Fort
William Henry Jackson photographs
Fremont expedition
Col. John Leonard "Jack" Swigert (space exploration)
Colorado Mountain Club and Holmes' diary of the first ascent of Mt. of the Holy Cross
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Other possibilities may be the blending of disparate cultures in Colorado, especially in
places like the San Luis Valley; possibly a look at banking or financial history in Denver,
particularly around the 1893 silver crash (maybe that gets at the 'Exchange' idea?)
Boulder History Museum
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Migration and exchange of technologies to treat TB: As healthy living draws people to
Boulder today, beginning in the 1890s the mountain air drew those struggling to breathe
from tuberculosis to the Boulder Sanitarium. The Carnegie Branch of the Boulder Public
Library has resources and images of the Boulder Sanitarium.
Exploring Colorado peaks: 14,000 is a number that commands respect in Colorado, as
people strive to summit the great peaks. What drives this exploration of altitude and when
did it transform from practical to pleasurable exploration?
Space exploration by Ball Aerospace and the University of Colorado: Since the midForties, CU's Aerospace Engineering Department has had a prominent role in the
exploration of outer space, making significant contributions in rocket and satellite design
and scientific experimentation, and providing many graduates to the astronaut corps.
Similarly, since the mid-Fifties, Boulder's Ball Aerospace has been a leader in design,
development and manufacture of innovative aerospace systems. Both CU and Ball have
extensive digital educational resources and videos.
Exploration of consciousness at Naropa: Boulder's Naropa University is an uncommon
learning center, one of the very few accredited, Buddhist academic institution. Although
it provides for the exploration of many non-traditional subjects (i.e., "disembodied
poetics"), it has long focused on the exploration of human consciousness. "In drawing
knowledge and insight from both cognitive neuroscience and contemplative traditions
such as Buddhist meditation, [Naropa's] Consciousness Lab provides a unique synergy
between modern psychological science and ancient contemplative approaches to
understanding mind and spirit." Naropa archives offer extensive documents, and audio
and visual recordings.
Boulder's hippies and straights encounter each other: From the mid- to late-Sixties
through at least the mid-Seventies, two cultures in Boulder encountered each other in
ways that ranged from bemusement to riots. Boulder became nationally and
internationally known throughout the hippie counterculture, and as many travelled or
moved there, confrontations with the straight "natives" ensued. Carnegie Library and
CU's Norlin library have extensive newspaper accounts and collections of counterculture
publications, and many "survivors" of the encounters remain in town.
Cultural exchange -- Boulder Sister Cities: President Dwight D. Eisenhower created
Sister Cities International at the 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy as an
organization from which peace and international partnerships could grow organically out
of the respect and understanding birthed from personal connections. The organization
provided a venue to form direct, non-political bonds with people who have had vastly
different experiences in life. The Boulder Sister City program follows this ideology and
supports dialogue and cultural appreciation in conjunction with seven cities or regions:
Dushanbe, Tajikistan; Jalapa, Nicaragua; Kisumu, Kenya; Lhasa, Tibet; Mante, Mexico;
Yamagata, Japan and Yateras, Cuba. Opportunities to interview members of Sister Cities
Committees are abundant.
Forney Museum of Transportation
Developments in transportation aided in the exploration and expansion of the United States to the
West. This occured in different forms throughout the history of the United States:
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Covered Wagons allowed groups and families to move west and create homesteads.
During this time, there were many encounters between pioneers and settlers and
Native Americans. Explore the ways in which the covered wagon contributed to the
encounters and exchanges between these two groups.
The Oregon Trail was a famous route that many families and individuals travelled to
settle in the west and utilize the land available. Explore the development of the
Oregon Trail, the people who used it, types of transportation they used to travel along
the trail and/or the importance of the Oregon Trail in the greater history of both
Westward Exploration and Expansion, encounters and exchanges between settlers and
native populations and American history.
River exploration allowed early western explorers to chart the Western landscape and
often led to encounters with native populations. Explore the importance of river travel
in American exploration. This could focus on famous explorers including Lewis and
Clark or John Wesley Powell, among others.
The development of the steam engine allowed for the creation of both steam powered
boats and the development of Railroads. The building of the transcontinental railroad
was one of the most important undertakings in 19th century America. This venture
required the use of large amounts of labor, mostly from immigrant communities.
Explore the use encounters and exchanges between immigrant communities while
building the transcontinental railroad.
Amelia Earhart was an aviation pioneer and prominent woman in history. Her
historic flights took her around the world and allowed her to meet with many people
in many countries and cultures. Explore her role as an explorer and as a woman who
travelled around the world encountering many different cultures.
Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
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Some Western history topics are nearly self-evident, like the encounters between the
Indians and westward movement, from the explorers to the settlers. So the Indian
Wars are a natural with this topic.
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More subtle perhaps would be the process of exploration, encounters and exchange
which 19th and 20th immigrants went through (and continue to go through)
everywhere in the United States. We have very good examples in Colorado, from
the Swedes along the northern front range to the Italians in Pueblo to the Germans
from Russia in Weld County.
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A few topics with which Buffalo Bill is intimately involved:
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Clash of Cultures: Indian Wars on the Great Plains - The clash of the Great Plains
Indian cultures with the westward moving “European” cultures were not only violent
encounters but also times of exchange. This began from the moment of exploration.
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Wild West Shows: Encounters and Exchange – The medium of the wild west show
provided the American Indians with an opportunity to both preserve and present their
culture. It also provided opportunities for cultural exchange here in the US and in
Europe. Europeans copied aspects of Indian culture (Indian and cowboy clubs continue
there today) while the Indians copied aspects of European culture, even learning
languages like German and French.
Telecommunications History Group
We would love to have the students use our Archives for their research and are happy to make
arrangement for access for them.
Telecommunication is the exchange of information over distance.
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Telstar, 1st communications satellite
Role of the telecommunications in opening the West
How the ability to communicate globally has changed our world
-- how did the telephone change how families communicate?
-- has the Internet helped or hindered the spread of democracy?
-- how have telecom technologies changed how we conduct business?
What was the effect of transatlantic telephone cables on international relations
Sangre de Christo
 Mexican Land Grants and the San Luis Valley
 Communities of Support: Rural towns during the depression
 Acequias and the role of mayordomos
 Native exploration and resettlement of tribal lands
 Pioneers of Color...people who built the communities and infrastructure of Colorado and
the West.
 Trail and rails of Colorado and the West.
 Water, the history of the watershed that is Colorado and how it contributed to the
development of the West.
 Mining and labor organizing in Colorado
 Exploration and Entradas: Fray Francisco Atanacio Dominguez and Fray Francisco
Velez de Escalante exploration of southern Colorado, Diego de Vargas entrada into the
San Luis Valley, the De Anza Expedition in search of Cuerno Verde
 Struggle over Land and Water: Celedonio Mondragon and the SPMDTU movement,
Crecencio Valdez and son Seledon Valdez and the Conejos Land Grant documentation
issues, La Sierra litigation for rights of usage, water issues with AWDI, Rio Grande
Compact, Water Districts.
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Arts and Artists: Penitente Movement and Santero Art (Rubel Jaramillo), Wool arts and
weaving (Eppie Archuleta)
Political leaders from the SLV: Jose Victor Garcia and Jesus M. Barela (the SLV's first
two territorial representatives to the Colorado Territorial Assembly 1861), Governor
William "Billy" Adams (raised west of La Jara and namesake of Adams State
University), Colorado U.S. Senator and Secretary of the Department of the Interior
Kenneth Salazar, Colorado U.S. Representative John Salazar
Religion and spirituality from Native Americans to Hispanic settlers
Cryptic Jewish bloodlines
Teaching with Primary Sources:
Exhibits:
 Columbus Voyage - http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/1492
 Exploring Early Americas - http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/exploring-the-early-americas
 British-American Relations - http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/british
 Lewis and Clark - http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/lewisandclark
 Primary Source Sets:
 Assimilation through Education http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/assimilation
 Hispanic Exploration http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/hispanic-exploration
 Understanding the Cosmos http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/understanding-thecosmos
 Westward Expansion http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/westward
 Other:
 Exploration and Explorers http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/themes/exploration/students.html
 Lewis and Clark http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/
lewisandclark
 Women Pioneers http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/
women-pioneers
 Maps and Mapmakers http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/activities/map
s
Aurora History
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Fitzsimons Army Hospital was constructed as a treatment facility for tuberculosis.
Research medical technology in regards to military encounters.
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Lowry Air Force Base trained soldiers in aerial photography. Research the use of military
photography and how it affected encounters with and exploration of other countries
Look at public transportation in relation to the development of suburban America
Aurora newspapers 1909-present
Information on Stanley Aviation
Oral histories on farming and ranching in Aurora
Access to interviewees for information on aerial photography and other information on
Aurora
Histories, booklets, newspapers, etc on Fitzsimons and Lowry AFB.
Denver Art Museum
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Due to the mixture of cultures and tradition throughout the Spanish Colonial period due
to trade routes and exploration, art in regions of South America illustrate both a blending
of motifs and a marriage of forms from Europe, Asian, and the Americas.
Depicted in art across time, different cultures have used a variety of different forms of
currency and exchange or gifts.
Artistic tradition and cultural background have influenced artists over time, thus
indicating the exchange of ideas, artistic process, and importance of heritage across
generations that is seen in historical and contemporary art.
Mizel
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Many Jews moved to Denver because its climate was ideal for treating TB, a disease
Jews were particularly prone to. The Jewish Consumptives Relief Society and National
Jewish Hospital are the result of these Jewish emigrants (some who came for treatment
and some who came to study TB) encountering and exchanging with denver's already
established medical community.
Colorado Geographic Alliance
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Geographic and spatial analysis will support any aspect of this theme. The State of
Colorado provides locations for investigating the landscapes that Native American and
European explorers might have seen, how people interacted with the physical
environment and with other humans, and the developments those exchanges brought.
There are several ways to enhance presentations using on-line or hand-drawn maps.
Sample cartographic representations of the movement of peoples, objects and ideas exist
and can be made using web-based tools or paper and pencil.
Mapping Resources
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Search the web to identify files that can be opened in Google Earth. For example, search
the web for a topic such as “Lewis and Clark” and include “kmz” in the search bar. This
will produce content that can be opened in Google Earth. Content can also be created in
Google Earth. The “Help” tab in Google Earth provides instructions.
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A great source of historical maps is the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection. Many
of these maps can be opened in Google Earth. Open the “Gallery” folder in the lower
left-hand corner of Google Earth. Look for the “Rumsey Historical Maps” checkbox and
then find the icon for the maps in Google Earth. Zooming to Denver will show the
location of one of these maps. Click on the “Rumsey Historical Maps” icon to open a
historical map of Denver.
Preexisting interactive web maps can be found at http://storymaps.arcgis.com. Maps can
also be created using a web site such as
http://mapmaker.education.nationalgeographic.com/. These sites offer platforms
providing basemaps to which content can be added. Points of interest, descriptions, and
pathways can be added to a map and then saved for use in a project or presentation.
For additional support in making maps, please contact the Colorado Geographic Alliance
at [email protected] (http://www.uccs.edu/coga/coga-in-the-news.html) or visit
http://www.uccs.edu/coga/resources/curriculum/technology.html.
Exploration
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Exploration can be considered at a large scale – across oceans or into space, or at a small
scale – one’s own backyard or community. While the classic image of exploration often
reflects the definition of “traversing or ranging over for the purpose of discovery”,
exploration is also “looking into closely, scrutinizing, or examining”. In addition to
historical investigations of explorers, students could consider organization supporting
explorers, from the Han Dynasty (A brief introduction to Middle Eastern studies in
China, Zhu Li, 2007), King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain
(https://library.saylor.org/handle/1/4820), to the Royal Geographical Society
(http://www.rgs.org/AboutUs/About+us.htm), to the National Geographic Society
(http://www.nationalgeographic.com/125/the-new-age-of-exploration/) are all part of the
infrastructure of exploration.
http://www.uccs.edu/coga/resources/connections.html
Intersection of History and Geography
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The state of Colorado is home to one of the leading historians of maps, Susan Schulten
(http://www.du.edu/ahss/history/facultystaff/schulten.html). The Association of
American Geographers has a specialty group devoted to historical geography with a
journal (https://ejournals.unm.edu/index.php/historicalgeography/index) as well as a
Historical GIS Clearinghouse
(http://www.aag.org/cs/projects_and_programs/historical_gis_clearinghouse).
Geographers such as Anne Kelly Knowles have used geospatial technology to examine
historical events from new perspectives
(http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/looking-at-the-battle-of-gettysburg-throughrobert-e-lees-eyes-136851113/?no-ist,
http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=807169).
Need other ideas? Contact one of the many geographers at institutions of higher education
across the state. Students can find links to geographers and geography departments at this
website: http://www.uccs.edu/coga/resources/colorado-higher-ed.html. The Colorado
Geographic Alliance Facebook page also is a good source of inspiration
(https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoGeographicAlliance).