10,000 Years of History: A Field Trip on the American Indians of North Georgia and East Tennessee

A park ranger talks to a group of students in front of green bushes
A park ranger leads a field trip on American Indians at Moccasin Bend National Archeological District

NPS/C. Barr

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park preserves the landscapes in around Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Union and Confederate Armies clashed during the summer and fall of 1863 during the American Civil War. The vast majority of students who visit Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park do so in support of their curriculum related to the Civil War and Reconstruction. However, people have lived in this area for thousands of years, and the park preserves many resources associated with American Indian groups in the region. A field trip to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park can be a valuable asset in supporting your curriculum in studying the American Indian stories of northwest Georgia and East Tennessee.

Curriculum Standards
An American Indians Field Trip to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Support can reinforce the following topics with your students:

- The cultures of the Cherokee people
- How geography shaped the lives of the people who lived here
- The lives and cultures of people who lived in this region prior to European conquest.
- How contact with Europeans affected the people of the region.
- The effect of exploration and settlement by the Spanish and the British in the region.
- The causes, course, and consequence of the Indian Removal Act and subsequent Trail of Tears (part of which passed through the park).

Rangers will tailor the specific topics covered based on the grade level and state standards for your individual class, as well as the location you chose to visit.

Field Trip Location

Most American Indian themed field trips to the park involve visiting Moccasin Bend National Archeological District. Moccasin Bend preserves sites associated with people living here during the Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian Periods, as well an original route of the Trail of Tears undertaken by the Cherokee in the 1830s. Archeology done on the site has also uncovered evidence of Spanish explorers in the 1500s. We recommend Moccasin Bend as the best location for this field trip.

If you are unable to schedule a physical field trip to the park, check out some of our educational videos on Early American Indians, Indian Removal and the Trail of Tears, Causes of the Civil War, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Geography.

Scheduling a Field Trip

To schedule a field trip, please fill out the Field Trip Reservation form. A park ranger will follow up with you to confirm your reservation and finalize your field trip. Please note that you are not scheduled until you receive this confirmation, which can take a few days.

There are no fees for field trips with Moccasin Bend National Archeological District.

Things to Do During Your Field Trip

In addition to a ranger-guided program on American Indians, there are other things for you to do as well.

If you are visiting Moccasin Bend, please note that there are no picnic areas, restrooms, or other visitor services at the site. Please plan your visit accordingly. There are two hiking trails, the Blue Blazes Trail and the Browns Ferry Federal Road Trace, that your students might hike.
 
 
If you are interested in bringing your students to participate in a ranger-led program at Moccasin Bend National Archeological District (707 Moccasin Bend Road, Chattanooga, TN 37405), please complete and submit this form. There is NO charge for the program.

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.


NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.

Last updated: April 25, 2024

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Phone:

706-866-9241

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