Did you know that Monday, October 14, 2013 is Native American Day? It's a bit different than most holidays in that its purpose is to remember the sufferings and persecution of the Native Americans. Students and others would do well to learn a bit about Native American history on this day to learn about how their culture impacted the Europeans and vice versa. The Native Americans are a rich part of this country's cultural fabric, and their ancestors should be remembered with honor. If you're looking for tools to help you teach your students or children more about the Native American culture, try the free printable coloring pages at PrintablesFree.com. There are lots of holidays to choose from, and the Thanksgiving section is perfect for finding coloring pages of Native Americans.
Free Printable Thanksgiving Coloring Pages
As mentioned above, the free printable Thanksgiving coloring pages are a great resource for finding pictures of Native Americans as well as the pilgrims. Of course, this representation is only a very small part of their history which expands for thousands and thousands of years, but it is a familiar concept and is a good jumping off point for introducing the concept of Native American Day. Print one of these coloring sheets or several to offer some variety to your students. In addition to the coloring sheets, you should find some information about local tribes that were either indigenous to your area or that came through as hunters and gatherers.
Native American Day Coloring Pages
As long as we're in the Thanksgiving section, however, it is important to note the important role Native Americans played in the first Thanksgiving. Hand out this Native American coloring sheet featuring a boy and girl in Native American dress. The first thing students should know is that it was not actually a Thanksgiving celebration. It was actually a harvest celebration, which was very common for the time period. It was, however, a peaceful gathering of both Europeans and Native Americans and, for that reason, it became the quintessential Thanksgiving image that we know and love today. The truth is, most of the Europeans had agricultural backgrounds, as everyone had to grow and kill their own food in those days. Parts of this country seemed particularly inhospitable, though, so the Native Americans taught many of them how to grow and use the foods that were native to this land. Many Europeans would not have survived had it not been for the help of Native Americans. Unfortunately, many Native Americans died as a result of the introduction of diseases from the Europeans. It wiped out about 90% of their population and many more died in wars the European settlers waged with them. Take some time today to remember these brave people and their contributions to American history
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