Native American History Before the U.S.: Cahokia, Mesa Verde & More

Native American history began long before the United States existed. This documentary explores Indigenous history across what is now the United States—from the ancient footprints at White Sands and the Ancestral Pueblo communities of Mesa Verde to Cahokia, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the distinct histories of Lakota and Comanche peoples. It also examines the consequences of European colonization and the continuing presence of Native nations today. Some historical questions remain debated, including the routes of early migration and the extent of Haudenosaunee influence on the U.S. Constitution. This is a story not only of the distant past, but of living communities, sovereignty, and cultural continuity.