The Civil War is a turning point in American history, upholding the Constitutional promises of freedom for...some. Examine one of the pivotal components of the decades leading up to the Civil War: expansion into the West under the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, which drew non-Indians into the West and sparked innumerable conflicts with Native nations.

The West, a nine-part series, chronicles the turbulent history of one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth-a place that is simultaneously enticing and forbidding, filled with stories of both heartbreaking tragedy and undying hope. Beginning when the land belonged only to Native Americans and ending in the 20th century, the film introduces unforgettable characters-from gold seekers to cowboys, from homesteaders to Indian leaders-whose competing...

Begin by comparing the commonly held views of Native Americans to the realities of what was, and still is, a tapestry of rich and vibrant cultures. Professor Cobb explains the pitfalls that occur when history doesn't provide this crucial viewpoint, and will break down the fallacies that result from the common mistake of consigning Native Americans to the past.

The French and Indian War is often portrayed in history as a crucial turning point for Native nations in the East. For some, it served as a victory, for others, a defeat. And for a greater number still it had no immediate impact on their lives. This episode will change the storyline you've heard by exploring the perspectives of Native people who experienced the era quite differently.

Violence and war were not the only options. Even after the alleged "last Indian wars," Native Americans continued to fight for their rights and lands through the same legal system that had worked towards displacing them. You'll review three critical court cases, and meet leaders such as Standing Bear and Lone Wolf who continued to seek justice and defend tribal sovereignty.

Examine the cultures that existed prior to the Spanish Invasion, the struggle for power through Hernando de Soto's entrada through the Southeast, and the Pueblo War for Independence in the Southwest. Dr. Cobb introduces the Native American worlds that were born in the aftermath of these transformative events.

The late 1960s and early 1970s saw the efflorescence of American Indian militancy, beginning with the occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1969, to the Trail of Broken Treaties in November 1972 and the Wounded Knee occupation in 1973. Professor Cobb demonstrates how Native American activism intersected with the mainstream movements of the time.

Based in Sydney, Australia, Karen Pearlman and Richard James Allen have been making dance films since 1985. They formed The Physical TV Company in 1997. This collection features three of their over 20 works for the camera: Rubberman Accepts The Nobel Prize (2001). A superhero who speaks only the language of dance makes an outrageous, graceful, and rambunctious physical acceptance speech. No surrender (2002). A young Indigenous woman is invaded, terrorized,...

A kangaroo has been shot. A man of the Western Desert guts it using the stone in the handle of his spear-thrower. After singeing off the fur in a blazing fire. The kangaroo is cooked in a trench covered with glowing ashes and soil. The cooked kangaroo is cut up according to custom.

In two separate sequences - A man of the Western desert demonstrates spear making, he uses a mulga tree for the shaft and shapes it with a metal axe. His sons play at spear fighting with toy spears.