This section of the website contains a series of exercises offering opportunities to learn historical and anthropological methods through direct study of original historical sources, including texts, maps, artworks, and archeological finds.

Some exercises are simple and fun. Others require more time and effort. Several employ study procedures based on scholarly methods, enabling you to produce your own research results. We hope you will enjoy the thrill of discovery as you work with these materials.

The exercises are presented in three levels of difficulty: Beginner (middle school level), Intermediate (high school level), and Advanced (college level).

Beginner Exercises

Indians and Animals

The Three-Layer Universe

Trade Goods

What is a Map?

Intermediate Exercises

Frontier Exchange Economy

Creation Stories

Advanced Exercises

The Calumet Ceremony in the Mississippi Valley

First Encounters: Cultural Perspectives

Ritual Analysis

Transcending Themes