History of WWII
What was the date of the Pearl Harbor attack?
December 7, 1941
Describe the Navajo Origin Story.
Navajo people believe that their ancestors crawled out of a hole in the earth.
How many original Navajo Code Talkers were there?
29
True or False: Ned was one of the Original Code Talkers.
False
Explain the Long Walk
Navajo people were forced off of their land by the US government and herded like cattle to Fort Sumner, which was several hundred miles away. They were held there as prisoners for several years before their chief negotiated a return.
The United States fought against Japan in the Pacific Theatre. Which other countries were allied with Japan?
Germany & Italy
What is Dinetah?
Dinetah is the Navajo's sacred home between the 4 mountains.
The Code Talkers were part of which branch of the military?
The Marines
How old was Ned when he enlisted?
16
The schools that Navajo children were sent to were often called White Man Schools. What was their formal name?
Mission Schools
What does D-Day stand for?
Deployment Day
Describe the Navajo beliefs around naming.
Navajo people name and rename their children several times throughout their lives. It is against Navajo belief to name someone with a name from a deceased person.
What were two advantages of using Navajo for a secret code?
Navajo is a strictly oral language and only Navajo people who grew up speaking it can understand it.
How old was Ned when he was sent to White Man's School?
6
How did the Navajo people originally get to their sacred home in the southwestern United States?
They crossed a land bridge between Russia and Alaska and migrated south.
What year did WWII begin?
1939
What does Ned carry with him for protection according to Navajo belief?
corn pollen
When was the Navajo Code Talkers mission declassified?
1969
Who is the author of Code Talker?
Joseph Bruchac
What is the designated land for Navajos set aside by the US government called?
a reservation
What year did WWII end?
1945
What is the sacred ceremony used to protect Navajo people from harm?
The Blessingway
Explain the code used by Navajo Code Talkers.
Each English letter was assigned a Navajo word that meant an English word that started with the original English letter. The most common letters had multiple code words attached to them. Code Talkers also assigned names to everyday war objects that only made sense to those who knew the code. For example: Grenade = Potato
What last name was Ned given and how did he get it?
Ned's last name is Begay. He got it because the man in charge of name assignments at the White Man School couldn't understand Navajo and just made up a last name that sounded like what he thought Ned said.
What language family does Navajo belong to?
Athabaskan