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Interpreting the Evidence

Trade Beads at Fort Orange

Student View

About this Activity

  • Documents in this Activity:
  • Historical Eras:

    Colonial America (1630s - 1760)

  • Thinking Skill:

    Historical Analysis & Interpretation

  • Grade Level:

    Upper Elementary
    Middle School

  • Topics:

    Dutch
    Indigenous Peoples of North America

  • Primary Source Types:

    Artifact

  • Regions:

    Capital District
    New York State

  • Creator:

    NYS Archives Partnership Trust Education Team

  1. Load Trade Beads in Main Document Viewer
  2. Load Trade Beads in Main Document Viewer

Suggested Teaching Instructions

This lesson is part of a larger resource from the New York State Museum titled, Fort Orange Educational Guide.
You can find the full resource here. https://nysm.nysed.gov/fort-orange-educational-guide

You may also choose to use this Google Slide deck and or this Google Worksheet with your students. 

Learning Standards
4.3 COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD IN NEW YORK: European exploration led to the colonization of the region that became New York State. Beginning in the early 1600s, colonial New York was home to people from many different countries. Colonial New York was important during the Revolutionary Period.
(Standards: 1, 3, 4; Themes: MOV, TCC, GEO, SOC, GOV)
4.3a Europeans in search of a route to Asia explored New York’s waterways. Early settlements began as trading posts or missions.
Students will investigate the interactions and relationships between Native American groups, Dutch and French fur traders, French missionaries, and early settlers, noting the different perspectives toward land ownership and use of resources.

7.2 COLONIAL DEVELOPMENTS: European exploration of the New World resulted in various interactions with Native Americans and in colonization. The American colonies were established for a variety of reasons and developed differently based on economic, social, and geographic factors. Colonial America had a variety of social structures under which not all people were treated equally.
(Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4; Themes: MOV, GEO, ECO, TECH, EXCH)
7.2b Different European groups had varied interactions and relationships with the Native American societies they encountered. Native American societies suffered from loss of life due to disease and conflict and loss of land due to encroachment of European settlers and differing conceptions of property and land ownership.
Students will compare and contrast British interactions with southern New England Algonquians, Dutch and French interactions with the Algonquians and Iroquoians, and Spanish interactions with Muscogee.

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