The first era we will learn about is titled, "Native Texas and Its People". In this era, we will be exploring the geography of Texas and the indigenous tribes that inhabited our state. As I tell our students, before people were here, there was the land. This era serves as a foundation for the rest of our course, helping students see how the geography across the state not only looks but affects those who live in that environment. In addition, we learn about the tribes who were the first people to interact with the land and the European explorers who are to come.

Our standards for this era:
(1) History. The student understands traditional historical points of reference in Texas history. The student is expected to:
(A) identify the major eras in Texas history, describe their defining characteristics, and explain the purpose of dividing the past into eras, including Natural Texas and its People;

(2) History. The student understands how individuals, events, and issues through the Mexican National Era shaped the history of Texas. The student is expected to:
(A) compare the cultures of American Indians in Texas prior to European colonization such as Gulf, Plains, Puebloan, and Southeastern;

(8) Geography. The student understands the location and characteristics of places and regions of Texas. The student is expected to:
(A) locate and compare the Mountains and Basins, Great Plains, North Central Plains, and Coastal Plains regions;
(B) locate and compare places of importance in Texas in terms of physical and human characteristics such as major cities, waterways, natural and historic landmarks, political and cultural regions, and local points of interest; and
(C) analyze the effects of physical and human factors such as climate, weather, landforms, irrigation, transportation, and communication on major events in Texas.