With NEH support, Montana State University, Billings leveraged partnerships with Little Bighorn College, Little Bighorn Battlefield, and Chief Plenty Coups State Park to develop The Battle of the Little Bighorn and the Great Sioux War (1876)—a professional development program that reached 72 K-12 educators. This immersive, week-long summer workshop used site visits, expert lectures, and a wealth of primary sources to illuminate a wide range of historical perspectives, including Indigenous perspectives, on the war. Through this deep exploration, educators from around the country walked away with a more nuanced look at these iconic and often misrepresented events in American history, as well as valuable place-based learning tools and techniques.
“I especially liked hearing a different perspective from the Native speakers. I was able to broaden my understanding and appreciation of Northern Plains native cultures through these individuals.”
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The plains of south-central Montana are home to four major landmarks of cultural and historical significance—the site of Sitting Bull’s vision prior to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Rosebud Battlefield State Park, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and Chief Plenty Coups State Park. The workshop made its way through these four sites, interpreting them and the historical events that took place there. The program’s institutional partnerships provided access to substantial archives housed in the region, allowing participants to explore a wealth of primary sources on the battles and the tribes involved. Films, books, poetry, historical newspapers, photos, paintings, maps, and music helped bring to life the diverse perspectives of each landmark and event. And through their exploration of pivotal historical events in the Northern Plains, participants heard from Native scholars, which instilled a greater appreciation for the power of listening to contemporary Indigenous voices and learning about Native cultures today.
Facts & Figures
78%
of survey respondents reported sharing resources they acquired through this workshop with other teachers at their school.
Facts & Figures
83%
of survey respondents said they experienced “significant” or “transformative” professional growth as a result of participating in the program.
A survey implemented one year following the workshop demonstrated the workshop’s lasting impact on participants’ teaching. Respondents wrote about how the workshop facilitated their teaching of more well-rounded and nuanced histories through the use of primary sources, firsthand accounts, oral histories, and individual perspectives. This influence extended past the content of the workshop alone: educators used what they learned pedagogically in a variety of ways. One respondent wrote: “The connections I was able to make motivated me to guide my history class to undertake my own ‘landmark’ project with our local museum. We developed and built an exhibit on a German Prisoner of War camp nearby. The students presented information about a little-known but significant event in our own community and were able to see exactly where it had taken place. Tying learning to place is indelible!”