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Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site fourth of July parade
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Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
For Teachers
Children working with the craftsmen.
NPS Photo
Children working with the craftsmen around the fire.
 

The history of Bent’s Old Fort, encompassing the interaction among diverse cultures, including American Indian peoples, along the borderlands of Mexico and the United States, provides an opportunity to explore ideas of security, sovereignty, and culture in the American West. This isolated trading post and its company stores in Santa Fe and Taos, brought the Plains and Pueblo Indians, Mexicans, and Americans together for trade. Business, family, and political relationships developed that forever changed their lives. The interpretive tours and demonstrations relate well to Colorado State teaching standards for history providing fine examples of historical relationships and inquiry, societal changes, economic systems, and social processes and how they shaped populations. 

 

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Trapper teaches trapping to the visitors

Did You Know?
One of the most educated and well traveled men at Bent’s Fort was a humble hunter named Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. This highly regarded Bent employee started out life as the infant son of Sacajawea and accompanied his mother on the famous Lewis and Clark expedition.

Last Updated: February 15, 2007 at 12:13 MST