Aaron Huey relates the fight for survival on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Aaron began photographing on Pine Ridge Reservation as part of a story on poverty in America, but it has captured his passion for five years. A quintessential example of the failures of the reservation system, he and we cannot turn away from what we see at Pine Ridge.

A fantastic series by Ken Burns and Steven Ives which explores the West through the writings of New Western Historians such as Patty Limerick and Richard White. If you have the time this is a brilliant watch from start to finish!! If not, I have put a guide on so you can pick specific parts which might be useful. There is an accompanying website which you will find HERE too.

Click READ MORE to see the videos

Absolutely fantastic programme but bear in mind there is a PARENTAL ADVISORY with this one. Some of the language is a bit strong but Rich raises some excellent points. Click the break if you are over 16 and want to view.

Comedian Rich Hall goes in search of the real American Indian, a people who have too often been stereotyped. This image portrayed through cinema and literature is not a true representation of the Native American, giving Rich the opportunity to redress the balance.

With the help of Native American, Dallas Goldtooth, Rich explores a different idea of what the American Indian is and what life is like for them today. He not only questions the screen image of the 'savage Indian' in films such as Soldier Blue, Stagecoach and A Man Called Horse, but looks at the written one, through literature such as The Last of the Mohicans, Black Elk Speaks and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

I have attached a copy of the latest newsletter from the Western History Association. Some great little articles in this quarter including:

• “Teaching the West On the Conservative-Liberal Divide,” by Andrea Radke-Moss
• “Cowboys, Aliens, and Other Folks: Teaching the West in Popular Culture,” by Richard Aquila
• “Confronting the Mythic West in U.S. High School History Classes,” by Christi Carlson, Katie Piehl, Heather Walker, Lori Wright, and Paula Wright
• “Establishing a Baseline in Western Historiography: The Graduate Reading Seminar,” by Durwood Ball
• “Forty Years with Bob Hine and the Textbook, The American West: An Interpretive History,” by John Mack Faragher
• “Teaching the Environmental History of the North American West,” by Jay Taylor
• “Yes, Virginia, Indians Are Still Here: Teaching Native American History,” by Andrew Fisher
• “Both Sides Now: Teaching the West North of the 49th Parallel,” by Betsy Jameson
• “Teaching Borderlands History for a New Generation,” by Samuel Truett
  

The humanizing of War! You might as well talk of the humanizing of Hell...As if war could be civilized! If I'm in command when war breaks out I shall issue my order—"The essence of war is violence. Moderation in war is imbecility. Hit first, hit hard, and hit everywhere!" 

—Sir Reginald Bacon, The Life of Lord Fisher 
of Kilverstone, Admiral of the Fleet 

After the British removed the French from their colonial claim in North America, British policy in Ohio changed sharply. Sir Jeffrey Amherst commander of the British forces, declared that British should no longer give gifts to Indian chiefs. Many Ohio Indians were dependent on British trade and so starvation set in. Ohio Indians began following Neolin, a prophet who believed Europeans were a plague to be removed.

In 1763 Indians including Pontiac – an Ottowa chief – attacked British forts and killed 2000 settlers. This became known as Pontiac’s Rebellion. In response, Amherst suggested the British “send the Small Pox amongst these disaffected tribes of Indians”. ordered infected blankets to be sent into camps. Hundreds were killed as disease spread amongst the tribes. The Indians were forced to sue for peace.

So was the British use of primative germ-warfare effectively a war crime? Or would it be justified, as Machiavelli argued: "When it is absolutely a question of the safety of one's country, there must be no consideration of just or unjust, of merciful or cruel, of praiseworthy or disgraceful; instead, setting aside every scruple, one must follow to the utmost any plan that will save her life and keep her liberty."

What do you think? Full article here...

http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/spring04/warfare.cfm 

David Murdoch looks at the influence of big business and industry in the West. An illuminating talk and well worth a listen. The video is available here:  http://vimeo.com/37894243  

You can also buy David's book here.