This slide lecture looks at the past as revealed by archaeologists. It provides a broad overview of Native American history beginning with their arrival, at least 12,000 years ago, and explores the development of Native American culture through the early 19th century. Stops along the way include mastodon hunting, moundbuilding, the farming of corn, the rise of towns and cities, the arrival of explorers from France, and the Black Hawk War. These events chronicle a story that parallels the development of human culture worldwide.