All Weekend, Every Weekend. On C-SPAN3.

Indians' Use of the Land Before It Was Virginia

Construction of a Dugout Canoe

Construction of a Dugout Canoe

Washington, DC
Saturday, April 7, 2012

Author and Anthropologist Helen Rountree uses her many years of scientific and historic research to describe how natives of the Virginia piedmont region made use of their environment for food, transportation, and shelter.  Professor Rountree argues that the Powhatan indian women’s brains were like computers because of their detailed knowledge of hundreds of useful plants. The presentation is part of the "From the Earth: The Environment in Virginia's Past and Future" conference at the Virginia Historical Society.

Updated: Monday, April 9, 2012 at 12:17pm (ET)

Related Events

American Artifacts: Jamestown Archaeology Lab (Part 2)
Sunday, January 15, 2012     

American History TV visited the Jamestown Rediscovery project's archaeology and conservation labs to learn how history is revealed through artifacts. The original 1607 English fort was discovered in 1994, and over a million objects have been unearthed and catalogued since then.  In a related American Artifacts program, we took a tour of the current excavation sites. Part two of a three-part series.

American Artifacts: Jamestown Archaeology & Conservation (Part 3)
Saturday, May 12, 2012     

On May 14, 1607, 104 English settlers landed at Jamestown Island, Virginia to establish a colony for the Virginia Company.  Thought to be lost to history, the original fort was unearthed in 1994. We visited Jamestown to learn how the story of the 1607 settlers is being revealed everyday through the study of artifacts, and how artifacts are conserved for future scholars.

American Artifacts: Jamestown Rediscovery Project (Part 1)
Sunday, January 8, 2012     

The original 1607 English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia had long been considered lost under the James River. Then, in 1994, archaeologist and historian Bill Kelso found evidence of the site. Since then, the Jamestown Rediscovery Project has unearthed more than a million artifacts, including many complete skeletons of the settlers. American History TV visited Jamestown for an “in the trenches” archaeology tour with Mr. Kelso, the project director. Part one of a three-part series.

C-SPAN Video of Native American Fisherman in Grand Bayou, Louisiana
Saturday, June 19, 2010     

C-SPAN joined staff of the Gulf Restoration Network environmental group on a visit to Grand Bayou, Louisiana and a village of Native American commercial fishermen. One of the fisherman took the group on a tour of oil polluted marsh areas in Barataria Bay.

Lewis and Clark Through Native American Eyes
Saturday, October 9, 2010     

A panel Native American writers describe their views of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Participants at this event read from a book titled, “Lewis and Clark Through Indian Eyes: Nine Indian Writers on the Legacy of the Expedition.”

Lectures in History: French & Indian War
Saturday, January 28, 2012     

In this class, University of Texas at Arlington history professor David Narrett looks at the American Colonial era and the early years of the French & Indian War. This was the North American theater of the global Seven Years War that took place between European powers in the mid-1700s. The conflict in North American pitted the French and their Indian allies against the British and their American colonial subjects.

The "State of Indian Nations" Address Examines Native American Issues
Thursday, January 26, 2012     

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President Jefferson Keel delivered the annual "State of Indian Nations" Address just two days after President Obama's "State of the Union" Address.

Life Portraits: James Garfield
Sunday     

In this program from our 1999 "American Presidents: Life Portraits" series we focused on James Garfield's life and career. Historians discussed Garfield's military service, his election as president and assassination shortly after his inauguration. Suzanne Miller, the site manager at Garfield's home in Mentor, Ohio, talked about several of the artifacts and documents that Garfield left behind. 

History of Columbia, South Carolina
Sunday     

C-SPAN’s Local Content Vehicles take American History TV on the road. Throughout the weekend of May 18-20 we feature the history of Columbia, South Carolina.

Loyalists in NYC During the American Revolution
Sunday     

Thousands of colonists rejected the War for American Independence and many fled to the British stronghold of New York City. San Jose State University History Professor Ruma Chopra discusses the situation in the city and the perspective of those who looked upon the British as natural allies in religion, language and blood and thought the violence of rebellion was unnecessary and unlawful.

Share This Event Via Social Media

Photo Gallery

C-SPAN Radio (late 2012)
Questions? Comments? Email us at AmericanHistoryTV@c-span.org