The Levanthal Map & Education Center at Boston Public Library invited 40 teachers from across the country to participate in a week-long on-line education program on 17th century colonial and Indigenous map making during the last week of August, 2021. Participants explored the history and landscape of 1600s New England, with an emphasis on the role of geography and place. Included were major historical landmarks such as the site of Plymouth colony, the city of Boston with its deep connections to Native American history, and museums and libraries that together house collections and exhibitions that bring to life this complex story of land, power, identity, and community.

Sowams Heritage Area Coordinator Dr. David Weed and the other participants engaged with leading scholars and primary source materials, including period maps, letters, land deeds, and narratives that are grounded in their geographic location. These materials illuminated how the different ways and perspectives with which English settlers and multifaceted Native communities viewed the New England region shaped their relationships and interactions throughout the 1600s. Presenters included Robert Allison; Paul Grant-Costa; Elizabeth James-Perry; Garrett Dash Nelson; Chris Newell; and Christine DeLucia.