Missions to America: Colonial Williamsburg Electronic Field Trip

TIME: 1500s-1600s

PLACE: Your Cheyenne village in the upper Mississippi Valley

WHO: You are a member of the Cheyenne tribe. The Cheyenne word ehoxovestava describes what you are about to do:

You are going on a journey!

Your tribe has heard news about the new European settlers—English, Spanish, French—who are beginning to settle on the coasts of the continent. You have decided to investigate these new people and discover what their presence will mean for your tribe.

Will the settlers bring prosperity and plenty like the buffalo? Or will they prove to be attractive but deadly, like the black widow spider?

In Cheyenne beliefs, the creator, Mateo, gave a bundle of four sacred arrows to the legendary Cheyenne prophet, Sweet Medicine. The arrows, when properly guarded, bring the tribe good health, hunting, and success in war. Will the white settlers help or undermine you? You will scout the settlements and see what you can discover.

Where will you go first?