Long-Overlooked Marvel of Native American Engineering Gets Validation in Ohio
Discover how the Hopewell people built giant earthworks aligned with the moon—and why these sites are now recognized as engineering achievements.
Note: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
On Native American Heritage Day, a civil holiday held the day after Thanksgiving, the PBS News Hour examined a long-overlooked marvel of ancient engineering that had been tucked away beneath a golf course in Ohio. It is a place some archaeologists say is on par with Stonehenge. But its struggle for recognition spanned decades, ending only recently with validation as the state’s only World Heritage site.
View the transcript of the story.
Understanding the Hopewell Earthworks: Warm-Up Questions
- Who were the Hopewell People? Who are their descendants?
- Where are the Octagon Earthworks located?
- When were the Earthworks built?
- Why does archeologist Brad Lepper consider the creators of Earthworks "geniuses"?
- How does Chief Glenna Wallace explain the significance of the Earthworks becoming a World Heritage site?
Essential Questions
Chief Glenna Wallace asked, "Will they never be content until they have eliminated every trace of our ancestors? That's what's going through my mind." How do you think the Earthworks helps preserve the Hopewell culture? Why do you think it is a sense of pride for Chief Wallace and other Native Americans?
Media literacy: What part of the story struck you the most? How else could you learn more about it?
What Students Can Do
There are many images included throughout the segment, including graphics, artistic renderings, drawings, photographs and more.
Choose one of the following screenshots from the video (or find another one on your own) to analyze as to how it deepened your understanding of the story. How does the image help tell the story of the Hopewell People?
More Resources: Indigenous Peoples and Native Americans
Share My Lesson is your go-to resource for indigenous peoples and Native American lesson plans with this free PreK-12 collection of resources.
Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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