Manifesting Destiny: Re/presentations of Indigenous Peoples in K–12 U.S. History Standards

Abstract

In this mixed-methods study, we use a postcolonial framework to investigate how state standards represent Indigenous histories and cultures. The research questions that guided this study include: (a) What is the frequency of Indigenous content (histories, cultures, current issues) covered in state-level U.S. history standards for K–12? (b) What is the difference between the frequency of inclusion of pre-1900 Indigenous content and post-1900 Indigenous content in U.S. history standards for K–12? (c) How do the standards depict Indigenous Peoples in U.S. history? U.S. history curriculum standards from all 50 states and the District of Columbia were analyzed using within-case analysis and quantified to represent each state’s depiction of Indigenous content. Findings reveal that standards overwhelmingly present Indigenous Peoples in a pre-1900 context and relegate the importance and presence of Indigenous Peoples to the distant past.

Keywords:

• American history
• Indigenous studies
• postcolonial theory
• social studies standards
• state standards

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank Catherine Canitz for her contributions to this study. We would also like to thank a number of people who have supported this work over the last 2 years: Wayne Au, J.B. Mayo, Alex Cuenca, Frances Rains, Avner Segal, Paul Fitchet, Jeremy Stoddard, Terri Epstein, Mark Helmsing, Chris Babits, Becky Aguayo, Jennice McCafferty-Wright, Andrea Hawkins, and Kari Muente. Last, but certainly not least, we thank our friends and family.

Notes

1. ¹For a full list of state standards documents analyzed as part of this study, please contact the first author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah B. Shear

SARAH B. SHEAR is an Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education at The Pennsylvania State University–Altoona, Altoona, PA 16601. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Ryan T. Knowles

RYAN T. KNOWLES is a Doctoral Candidate of Social Studies Education at the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Gregory J. Soden

GREGORY J. SODEN is a teacher of English, Philosophy, and World Religions at Muriel Williams Battle High School, Columbia, MO 65202. He was a doctoral student at the University of Missouri at the time this research was completed. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Antonio J. Castro

ANTONIO J. CASTRO is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum at the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. He can be contacted at [email protected].