Amazon.com
1491 is not so much the story of a year, as of what that year stands for: the long-debated (and often-dismissed) question of what human civilization in the Americas was like before the Europeans crashed the party. The history books most Americans were (and still are) raised on describe the continents before Columbus as a vast, underused territory, sparsely populated by primitives whose cultures would inevitably bow before the advanced technologies of the Europeans. For decades, though, among the archaeologists, anthropologists, paleolinguists, and others whose discoveries Charles C. Mann brings together in 1491, different stories have been emerging. Among the revelations: the first Americans may not have come over the Bering land bridge around 12,000 B.C. but by boat along the Pacific coast 10 or even 20 thousand years earlier; the Americas were a far more urban, more populated, and more technologically advanced region than generally assumed; and the Indians, rather than living in static harmony with nature, radically engineered the landscape across the continents, to the point that even "timeless" natural features like the Amazon rainforest can be seen as products of human intervention.
Mann is well aware that much of the history he relates is necessarily speculative, the product of pot-shard interpretation and precise scientific measurements that often end up being radically revised in later decades. But the most compelling of his eye-opening revisionist stories are among the best-founded: the stories of early American-European contact. To many of those who were there, the earliest encounters felt more like a meeting of equals than one of natural domination. And those who came later and found an emptied landscape that seemed ripe for the taking, Mann argues convincingly, encountered not the natural and unchanging state of the native American, but the evidence of a sudden calamity: the ravages of what was likely the greatest epidemic in human history, the smallpox and other diseases introduced inadvertently by Europeans to a population without immunity, which swept through the Americas faster than the explorers who brought it, and left behind for their discovery a land that held only a shadow of the thriving cultures that it had sustained for centuries before. --Tom Nissley
A 1491 Timeline
|
Europe and Asia |
Dates |
The Americas |
|
25000-35000 B.C. |
Time of paleo-Indian migration to Americas from Siberia, according to genetic evidence. Groups likely traveled across the Pacific in boats. |
| Wheat and barley grown from wild ancestors in Sumer. |
6000 |
|
|
5000 |
In what many scientists regard as humankind's first and greatest feat of genetic engineering, Indians in southern Mexico systematically breed maize (corn) from dissimilar ancestor species. |
| First cities established in Sumer. |
4000 |
|
|
3000 |
The Americas' first urban complex, in coastal Peru, of at least 30 closely packed cities, each centered around large pyramid-like structures |
| Great Pyramid at Giza |
2650 |
|
|
32 |
First clear evidence of Olmec use of zero--an invention, widely described as the most important mathematical discovery ever made, which did not occur in Eurasia until about 600 A.D., in India (zero was not introduced to Europe until the 1200s and not widely used until the 1700s) |
|
800-840 A.D. |
Sudden collapse of most central Maya cities in the face of severe drought and lengthy war |
| Vikings briefly establish first European settlements in North America. |
1000 |
 |
|
Reconstruction of Cahokia, c. 1250 A.D.* | Abrupt rise of Cahokia, near modern St. Louis, the largest city north of the Rio Grande. Population estimates vary from at least 15,000 to 100,000. |
| Black Death devastates Europe. |
1347-1351 |
|
|
1398 |
Birth of Tlacaélel, the brilliant Mexican strategist behind the Triple Alliance (also known as the Aztec empire), which within decades controls central Mexico, then the most densely settled place on Earth. |
| The Encounter: Columbus sails from Europe to the Caribbean. |
1492 |
The Encounter: Columbus sails from Europe to the Caribbean. |
| Syphilis apparently brought to Europe by Columbus's returning crew. |
1493 |
|
| Ferdinand Magellan departs from Spain on around-the-world voyage. |
1519 |
 |
|
Sixteenth-century Mexica drawing of the effects of smallpox** | Cortes driven from Tenochtitlán, capital of the Triple Alliance, and then gains victory as smallpox, a European disease never before seen in the Americas, kills at least one of three in the empire. |
|
1525-1533 |
The smallpox epidemic sweeps into Peru, killing as much as half the population of the Inka empire and opening the door to conquest by Spanish forces led by Pizarro. |
|
1617 |
Huge areas of New England nearly depopulated by epidemic brought by shipwrecked French sailors. |
| English Pilgrims arrive at Patuxet, an Indian village emptied by disease, and survive on stored Indian food, renaming the village Plymouth. |
1620 |
|
|
*Courtesy Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Collinsville, Ill., painting by Michael Hampshire. **Courtesy Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, N.M. (Bernardino de Sahagún, Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva España, 1547-77). |
Book Description
In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492.
Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. From the astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, which had running water, immaculately clean streets, and was larger than any contemporary European city, to the Mexican corn that was so carefully created in a specialized breeding process that it has been called man’s first feat of genetic engineering, Indians were not living lightly on the land but were landscaping and manipulating their world in ways that we are only now beginning to understand. Challenging and surprising, this a transformative new look at a rich and fascinating world we only thought we knew.
Customer Reviews:
Unputdownable.......2007-09-26
I found this book extremely enjoyable. It contains a wealth of knowledge about Native American cultures in N. and S. America; findings that are apparently well-known in academic circles, but which have remained largely unreported and unknown to mainstream audiences. Mr. Mann clearly admires much about the achievements of these pre-Columbus civilizations, and seeks to redress "common" misconceptions that most Westerners have about "primitive, savage" Indian life. I am glad I read this book. I learned a great deal from this book, and was fascinated by the subject matter.
This book is also beautifully written, and makes the subject matter accessible to laypeople. I was expecting it to be readable buy dry, but it was instead a book that just compelled me to keep turning pages. It helps to bring these ancient civilizations to life, talks frankly about the impact of European colonization on these civilizations, and challenges the reader to set aside his/her textbook knowledge and consider seeing Native Americans in an all new light.
Every now and then a book comes out that makes science "sexy." For example, "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond, or "Krakatoa" by Simon Winchester. To me, this is one of those books. It's both revealing and entertaining. "1491" was just a terrific read - thought provoking, compelling, entertaining, well researched. I even read all the appendices, and that's saying something.
I highly recommend this book.
Excellent insight into the latest research.......2007-09-25
Please don't confuse this excellent book with the poorly researched fantasy "1421: The Year China Discovered America." 1491 is an extremely well researched and documented look into the latest archaelogical findings and theories pertaining to life in North and South America prior to Columbus's landing.
Mann does an excellent job explaining the accuracies and flaws of the multitude of theories surrounding this topic. As he simply exposes the debates and doesn't attempt to resolve them himself, he provides an illustrative lesson that one should not become too entrenched with any particular theory on the pre-history of man as each theory is eventually overturned or modified by new findings.
His writing style seems similar to Jared Diamond. Mann, however, makes his points without getting bogged down in the excruciating details which makes this book much more readable than Guns, Germs, and Steel or Collapse (both of which were excellent books as well). With over 100 pages of notes and references he provides the reader with the necessary information for them to conduct their own level of research based upon their desires.
Fascinating but flawed.......2007-09-23
Henry Ford said that all history was bunk, and he had not even read 1491! What a shock to find that the population of the new world in 1491 was greater than that of the old world! That the natives, said to be long-term farmers, had shaped the landscape to suit themselves, that buffalo roamed in small numbers until old world diseases killed off most (90%) of the native tribes and thus allowed the huge herds to form. What a shock to find that many north American tribes considered themselves libertarian compared with the hierarchy bound Europeans. Yet more than enough evidence is given from old writings long ignored, and new archeological finds.
This is all fast and entertaining reading. There are many maps to help explanations, citations by page number, and an index. Mann traveled to several of the archeological sites.
On the downside, Mann talked of the "balanced diet" as though its desirability has been proven, and does not say how maize provided this "balance" (p18). The battle between Hernán Cortés's men and the Mexica was said to have been described as the costliest battle in history with 100,000 casualties (not deaths), (p129). Why no mention of Verdun in WWI with a million deaths and Stalingrad in WWII with a million deaths? Is a mammoth's molar really the size of a bowling ball? (p152) Mann wrote of winter on the Amazon river. I thought equatorial areas had wet and dry seasons, not the 4 seasons observed far from the equator (pp301,305).
But there is another, bigger fly in the ointment. Mann accepts the carbon dioxide from combustion hypothesis of global warming (pp300,308). Solar cycles of changing heat output and the sun's influence on cosmic ray effects on the Earth's clouds determine climate, not CO2 levels. [Jaworowski Z, Solar cycles, not CO2, determine climate, 21st Century Science and Technology, Winter 2003-2004, pp52-65. Accessed as a PDF on 5 Jul 07 at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zbigniew_Jaworowski or at: http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/] According to Laurence Hecht, Editor of 21st Century Science & Technology: "Of all the hypotheses [on Earth climate], that of human-produced carbon dioxide as the forcing mechanism for warming is the most deeply and extensively studied, and by far the most discredited. No other hypothesis rests on such flagrant and lying disrepect for data as...on the falsification of the historical CO2 record." [Hecht L, What Really Causes Climate Change? EIR Science, 2 Mar 07, pp6-9. Accessed as a PDF on 5 Jul 07 at: http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/] The other big falsification in this hypothesis, skyrocketing temperatures in the last 50 years to levels not seen in 1300 years, is exemplified by the temperature graph of Michael Mann, which was shown to be a fraud, not just a mistake [McIntyre, S., McKitrick, R. (2005). Hockey sticks, principal components, and spurious significance. Geophysical Research Letters, 32, L03710; doi:10.1029/2004GL021750], [Soon, W., Baliunas, S. (2003). Proxy climatic and environmental changes of the past 1000 years. Climate Research, 23, 89-110].
So for historical controversies Charles C. Mann appeared to do balanced work, with opposing ideas neatly cited. But by failing to look up the "other side" on global warming, he missed effects of giant volcanic eruptions and solar output changes on temperature. The Roman era warming and Medieval Climate Optimum, both with temperatures higher than now and the Little Ice Age (1500-1800) were ignored, thus their effects on migration and population sizes was missed. Now it seems that the crop failures of the Little Ice Age were a main reason for northern Europeans to try to move to a warmer climate.
As always with with non-fiction, some errors make the entire work suspicious. Still a worthwhile book with its limitations in mind.
Great history, great archeology, great read.......2007-09-23
I love fresh looks on old topics. This book delivers on that theme. As a history teacher I find the same mundane, lopsided, and inaccurate truths presented in textbooks about this era time and time again. Mann's book is a counterweight to that miseducation and shed's light on often under appreciated and misrepresented Native American societies.
Eye Opening.......2007-09-23
This meaty book opens eyes and hearts to Natives' lives, systems, values, hopes and dreams and the ever conflicting and devasting arrival of Europeans, who were--in some cases--more savage than the Indians. The stories not only set fire to old "facts" but flame one's imagination to reconsider our past in general. I haven't read many books of this nature so it was a breath of fresh to me as was another book called: Walking the Trail, One Man's Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Jerry Ellis. This Cherokee author's approach to history and the Indian and American soul is unqiue in that he walked the 900 mile route of the Trail of Tears and revealed his experienes in startling honesty and clarity. A spiritual and motivational book. Both titles are highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- Bufflalo Boring!!!!
- MY BOY LOVES READING IT
- One of the best
- School Book Review
- A Great Book
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Buffalo Before Breakfast (Magic Tree House 18, paper)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
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ASIN: 0679890645
Release Date: 1999-05-18 |
Amazon.com
Morgan Le Fey, a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur, has charged a brave young pair of children with the task of freeing an enchanted dog from a spell by collecting four gifts. In the 18th easy-to-read chapter book in Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series, eight-year-old Jack and seven-year-old Annie travel back almost 200 years to the Great Plains to find a "gift from the prairie blue." Along the way, Annie and Jack make friends with young Black Hawk, narrowly miss a buffalo stampede, and learn about how the Lakotas view the earth and their place in it. (Ages 8 to 12)
Book Description
The Magic Tree House carries Jack and Annie back to the Old West, where they roam the Great Plains with a Lakota boy.
Customer Reviews:
Bufflalo Boring!!!! .......2007-05-08
I hated this book!!!! It's just about 2 kids and they wonder from place to place. This book is about Jack and Annie who go to the native times. It's not that interesting. But the series is that they just have to point to the book cover and say " I wish we could go there". Then the tree house teleports to the same place. There is a woman named Morgan who sends them there to find things like ( the four M's. Or 4 gifts). Then of course there going to find it and return home but....... when they come home time hasn't changed a bit. They go home and sleep. If you want to read the worst book ever in the world pick up this book today and you'll hate it. But if you want a good book then pick up " Magic Tree House #32" or anyother book in the "30's".
MY BOY LOVES READING IT.......2007-01-07
My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!
One of the best.......2006-11-10
Magic Treehouse books have been an excellent incentive for my 6 year old to read. At first I was reading them all to him, now he's reading them for himself. They are the perfect combination of adventure, education, and danger! This particular one is one of his favorites.
School Book Review.......2005-03-04
Would you ever want to be chased by a big buffalo? I read a book about two kids that did. It is called Buffalo Before Breakfast by Mary Pope Osborne. This book is about a boy named Jack, a girl named Annie and a dog named Teddy. They travel back in time. This story is also about the buffalo and Native Americans. This is a really cool book. One of my favorite parts is when they saw a huge heard of buffalo. I also liked this book because I am a child and I would like to travel back in time. In this book I think that the author wants to share what Native Americans used to do. You should read this book to see if Jack and Annie, along with Teddy, get back to their own time!
A Great Book.......2005-02-06
The whole Magic Tree House Series is great-not just this one.The Merlin Missions are the best in the series.
Merlin Missions:
# 29 Christmas in Camelot
# 30 Haunted Castle on Hollow's Eve
# 31 Summer of the Sea Serpent
# 32 Winter of the Ice Wizard
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# 34 Season of the Sandstorms (Coming out in July 2005)
Amazon.com
This controversial book by Ivan Van Sertima, the Guyanese historian, linguist, and anthropologist, claims that Africans had been to the New World centuries before Columbus arrived there in 1492. Citing--among other things--the huge Negroid-looking Olmec heads of Central Mexico and the similarities between the Aztec and Egyptian calendars and pyramid structures, Van Sertima pieces together a hidden history of pre-Columbian contact between Africans and Native Americans. He also puts forth the possibility that Columbus may have already known about a route to the Americas from his years in Africa as a trader in Guinea. The ideas in this book have been debated and discussed since its first publication in 1976; even those who choose not to believe Van Sertima's theories should take his argument seriously. --Eugene Holley, Jr.
Book Description
They Came Before Columbus reveals a compelling, dramatic, and superbly detailed documentation of the presence and legacy of Africans in ancient America. Examining navigation and shipbuilding; cultural analogies between Native Americans and Africans; the transportation of plants, animals, and textiles between the continents; and the diaries, journals, and oral accounts of the explorers themselves, Ivan Van Sertima builds a pyramid of evidence to support his claim of an African presence in the New World centuries before Columbus. Combining impressive scholarship with a novelist’s gift for storytelling, Van Sertima re-creates some of the most powerful scenes of human history: the launching of the great ships of Mali in 1310 (two hundred master boats and two hundred supply boats), the sea expedition of the Mandingo king in 1311, and many others. In They Came Before Columbus, we see clearly the unmistakable face and handprint of black Africans in pre-Columbian America, and their overwhelming impact on the civilizations they encountered.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting but thats all........2007-07-05
This book raises a few interesting issues but that is about all. Did Columbus discover America? Obviously not as there were people inhabiting the place when he arrived. Had people from the 'old world' traveled to America before Columbus? There would be no reason to suggest that they had not. We have found coins and jewlery from Norse cultures and in this book examples of African art and culture also.
Concerning some images such as statues are art. Yes, they could be African, most likely Native American, possibly influenced by Africans. I mean the thing that is often forgotten is that contary to popular belief our ancestors did not just sit about their own private villages or towns never daring to travel. We have numerous travel books from adventurers and oral tradition to prove otherwise. The peoples of the south Pacific who colonised the islands there, the numerous 'Rihla' books in Arabic and 'Seyahet-name' in Persian and Turkish.
People did travel, there are travel books from Arab manuscripts of adventurers who went to Northern Russia and Eastern Europe, Masudi who went into the Indian jungles the list is endless so there is no reason to asume that Africans may or may not have traveled the Atlantic to the Americas and if in sufficiant numbers settled there.
Where the book does start to go to far is to claim that there was some African influence on nearly every aspect of Native American culture. This form of cultural imperialism is no different than the European kind.
An interesting book, I liked the tale of the Mali king who sailed away leaving his kingdom. Worth reading but with a pinch of salt.
Well-Written Obligatory History Science Revealing Amazing Facts.......2007-04-25
In the meanwhile (from the book's 1st publishing in 1976) it has become widely accepted that the Vikings preceded Columbus in the Americas considerably. It is also popularly known today that Columbus never set foot on American mainland soil personally on any of his travels. Yet, it is still argued by many African Americans that Black Africans arrived in the Americas simultaneously with the very first "Columbian-European" ships onwards - as slaves - and therefore are as naturally or not "Americans" as the Euro Americans today. Why so shy? Ivan Van Sertima proves neatly that Black Africans preceded Columbus in the Americas in at least half a dozen eras, some of those even preceding the Vikings considerably. In fact, that the Americas never have been as completely isolated from Africasia (including Europe) as commonly believed, with accidental driftings from e.g. Japan, Oceania, Europe and Africa all along - even vice versa. Most fascinating are the PLANNED travels by Black Africans to the Americas, ranging from the Egyptian-Phoenician joint (ad)ventures, via the (Black) Mali Empire of 1310/11 and the Moorish-Arabs. While some of these didn't leave that many traces in the Americas, some introduced botanical revolutions in the "Old World" upon return, others caused considerable influences in the famous civilisations of the Americas, such as the Olmecs, Mayas, Aztecs, socalled Incas and many others.
If that sounds unbelievable, you will know for sure after reading this book. I have reviewed parts (!) of other revealing books as a bit of a fishing, theories in need of scientific validation (The Africans Who Wrote the Bible); as maybe flawed proofs for general truths to be enhanced by more modern reasonings (Stolen Legacy); as less than circumstantial evidence (AFRICAN ORIGINS OF FREEMASONRY: Treatise of the Ancient Grand Lodge of Khamet). This book, however, in all parts manages to convince with overwhelming scientific hard evidence, simply un-disprovable. To quote the book's conclusion: "The African [pre-Columbian] presence is proven by stone heads, terra-cottas, skeletons, artifacts, techniques and inscriptions, by oral traditions and documented history, by botanical, linguistic and cultural data." Astounding to read today that Columbus himself was very much aware of African contact with the Americas preceding him, in fact this being the reason to pursue those travel( route)s in the first place. That the nautical skills of most of the preceding Africans by far outmatched those of Columbus - even up to the Europeans till the 18th century. That the king Abubakari himself of the Mali empire, which dwarfed the Roman empire, crossed the Atlantic on a first contact mission very daringly. Not to mention the very specific and very complex parallels between several ancient American and African cultures.
After reading this book, what strikes me as more amazing than the facts revealed, is my previous vague might-or-maybe-belief of them, as I had basically heard of the respective "theory" of the book's title, but without any proven specifics. Being fairly educated on this for my interest in Africa I did know before that it is accepted facts that the ancient Egyptians dug a canal from the Nile to the Red Sea and successfully sent a shipping expedition around Africa. That the Phoenicians became a sea travelling people. That the Egyptians knew that the world was ball-shaped and were masters of astronomy. That they were master-precision builders geometrically and astronomically. That the Polynesians were able to travel to and settle on Hawaii, Easter Island, New Zealand and Madagascar with ships not even resulting from an extraordinary megacity building society. More recently I had learned that the Egyptians and Phoenicians travelled to the British Isles by ship, even into the Baltic Sea. That the East Africans sent ships to India, even China, transporting gifts for the emperors such as elephants and giraffes. And so on and so forth. How was it possible not to automatically assume, Africans could and would send ships to the Americas?! Only because the white-skinned Europeans (largely) wouldn't and couldn't?
The latter fact isn't that surprising either. East Africa is the cradle of humanity, (lighter) black the first skin color. White is one of the last phenotypes emerging so far, for one of the last inhabitations was Europe (having been under ice a lot). Everybody knows that at the time of the pyramids getting built (no matter in which time line version), nothing of the sort happened in Northern, Central, not even in Southern Europe. And after the Greco-Roman cultural collapse, Europe was plunged - on purpose by the religious rulers - into the Dark Ages of mis-education or rather no-education. Sciences and (e.g. nautical) skills were re-introduced by the (largely Black) Moorish-Arab empire(s), stretching into Iberia. It is also no surprise that we have been misinformed on Africa. In order to sell mass-enslavement (again originally in order to demolish the rivaling Egyptian Black Isis religion, spreading in Europe) of the once venerated Black Africans to their European (Christian) subjects, the white rulers had to invent the propaganda that Blacks wouldn't even be humans, but wild apes. In those three lights this book's content appears very natural and not at all like a "controversial theory". The latter is one of the reactions I got for reading this book (publicly, silently by myself). Another reaction was that this is a typically (19)70s book: "Stuff like that was written back then.", ending the interest in this book. Knowledge isn't a fashion! It has to be enhanced by constantly building up on itself. If you never keep up, the gap will only widen. Someone third had never heard about this and couldn't believe it, as he has been misinformed that no pre-colonial civilisation existed in (supposedly) landlocked (Black) Africa. (For this specific purpose of balancing this lack of information I advise to read When We Ruled: The Ancient and Medieval History of Black Civilisations as a preparation for this book.) But then again, during the last couple of (publicly reading) weeks I was approached three times by strangers, commenting their amazement that I could read (as a RastafarI), and IF I could that I indeed would chose to do so. Two of them in all seriousness suggesting, I would only pretend (being able) to read to falsely impress people. Which reminds me of Ivan Van Sertima's words in this book: Racist conditioned people are rather willing to believe the absolutely absurd - Erich von Däniken's science fiction that aliens from outer space built the African and American pyramids - than accepting the most obvious, easily provable reality that it was Black Africans (in combination with the Native Americans).
The elapsed time from 1976 hasn't only given us a much better overstanding of the ancient American cultures, but has confirmed Ivan Van Sertima by disconfirming him, which should be taken into consideration: Ancient North Africans from the Egyptians via the Pheonicians (including Carthage) to the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula once had been black/much more black than described in this book. It is also known today that the ocean traveling East African Swahili culture became much less Arab influenced and that much later on than previously averred. It has been revealed that Egyptian history has been enviously faked to appear much younger by an initial Berlin Egyptologist, whose "findings" got copied ever since. Thus, the 1st dynasty didn't start some time in the late 4th millennia B.C., but in the early 6th millennia B.C. The first known mummification isn't anymore from Fezzan, "3,500 B.C.", but Uan Muhuggiag in (Black) Libya, ca. 7,500 B.C. Chemical analyses of Egyptian mummies have further proven American contact: Residues of cocaine. (Plus of Australian eucalyptus, by the way.) Most certainly, genetics have advanced in quantum leaps, yet I am not aware of any studies looking into the pre-Colombian African connection. In other words: Even where since 1976 Ivan Van Sertima has been overtaken by ever fresher knowledge (human knowledge currently doubles every 5 years), his statements get confirmed ever more. If the next print of this book fails to include an update, after well more than 30 years, indeed a rating star may be subtracted then.)
A note on the one-star populists on this review site: There are tons of them. None of them, I repeat: not a single one of them even attempts to disprove any of Van Sertima's proofs. (One corrects a bit, but of irrelevant specifics not concerned with the major question.) All they do is to hurl statements of disbelief, based on nothing else but layperson opinions, at the potential buyers of this book. With the only intent to prevent as many people as possible to read this book. Because they are not reasoning with the other reviewers, as the former do not argue as if having read the book and/or as if attempting to convince the other reviewers. The focus is solely on the potential new readers. Superficially, they seem all logical. But all, I repeat, ALL of their arguments are dismissable with ease. That's what I have done a lot in my comments of such populist reviews. I will give one example. Early on in the debate several reviewers claim, because close-by Madagascar is populated by Polynesians, not Africans, no Africans by all logic could have travelled to distant America. Sounds sensible? Well: Van Sertima makes proof of the Egyptians, largely in connection with the Phoenicians as well as the Mali empire travelled to America. Not the East Africans off the coast of Madagascar. Take a look at a globe or a Peter's Map: America is four times closer to Mali than Madagascar (by sea route). Additionally, a map of currents and winds provided in the book shows perfectly that Africans from the ancient Mali empire (i.e. the Senegalese/The Gambian coast) are able to basically float to America without trying, while having to counter winds and currents to get to Madagascar. At the time of the ancient Egyptian canal non-existant, the Egyptian-Phoenician ships would have to have travelled almost completely around Africa to get to Madagascar, even much further away than from Mali. And when they had the canal, they travelled around Africa the other direction. Also: It is historic fact that Vasco da Gama "discovered" India for one reason only: Hiring a Black Swahili sea guide showing him the way. Also: It is even false that no Africans populated Madagascar. It was only that the Polynesians had a much bigger overpopulation problem on their largely small islands, causing much greater emigration pressure, i.e. they quickly outnumbered the Black Africans on Madagascar. Yet, the populists' argument even supports Van Sertima: The Polynesians are/were still largely black, supposedly posessing inferior to white European civilisation. Yet they are by far the most spread out people the world has ever seen - all by ocean travel (with no original ship surviving till today). Last not least the Arabs came into contact with Black, Polynesian, Chinese, Viking and Greco-Roman ship-building knowledge and nautical skills. Why wouldn't they be able to reach the Americas?
Historical nit-picking aside.......2007-04-10
Historical cultural nit-picking aside, this book did an excellent job of blowing away my own blind spots regarding the likelihood of multiple pre-columbian voyages to (and from) the Americas. The author provides historical, archeological, and linguistic evidence and indications of African voyages to the Americas, including written accounts by early European explorers. The author also writes well-crafted 're-enactments' based on valid sources that make the past come alive in the mind's eye of the reader. While this makes for great reading, it may be outside the norm of Euro-American academic culture, weakening the credibility of his thesis in those circles. Each chapter comes with an extensive bibliography. Having read modern accounts of individuals and groups surviving trans-oceanic voyages on small disabled craft, all of his accounts are plausible, most are convincing, none seem far-fetched. The only thing that's really shocking is the lack of published follow-up research and books since Ivan's book was published more than thirty years ago. A great read.
His-Story is slowly being unravelved.......2007-02-27
One of the most enduring myths in the Americas is that Columbus discovered America in 1692. In fact Columbus did not discover diggly. He was actually very late on the scene. The Africans "discovered" the Americas hundreds of years before. The population was already there. They just wanted to know what was on the other side of the big water, and thought they would go and visit. Some of the Africans came by accident, pushed by the trade winds. Others like Abubakari the Second came to the Americas in 1310 by way of a planned expedition, with hundreds of people, provisions, boats, etc.
However, Columbus was very important. With his coming, came the slaughter of native people and the theft of their lands, and the beginning of the degradation of the African in the Americas.
This book is very academic. But it is an excellent read, if you can get through it. There is much information, and will surely broaden your body of knowledge.
A must have.......2007-01-04
All interested in the true history of Africans, African Americans, and the Americas must read this book.
Book Description
A retelling of the Seneca creation story and prophesies for the future.
Customer Reviews:
History Lesson.......2007-08-25
I came to this book due to my interest in Jamie Sams and Twylah Nitsch. For people who have questions about the First through the Fifth Worlds from reading other books by Jamie Sams, this book fills in the blanks. For those who have no knowledge of Sams and Nitsch, this book is so playful and delightfully written that it could be underestimated by the reader.
FASCINATING!.......2007-04-04
This book is fascinating from cover to cover. Jamie Sams and her grandmother, Twylah, are master story-tellers. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Native American beliefs! It is the Seneca version of creation and history, our relationship with Mother Earth, and events still to come! Thanks Jamie and Twylah!
GrandMother's Gift.......2001-06-11
As always when reading books by Jamie Samms or hearing the teachings of Twylah Nitsch, we find the gifts that we need too. The Medicine is always pure and healing.
This is a must read to understand why to love The Earth........1999-11-10
This book gives a wonderful perspective on the relationship we have to The Earth. The story of Creation is revealed through the ancient teachings of the Senecas. This story is a creation myth at its best. This story allows the reader to see from the perspective of Mother Nature herself. Here, all of the world of information about history is available not through reading or the internet, but through the wonderful worlds of truth that exist within each being. All of the creatures of The Earth are loved equally and completely by the generous and divine Earth Mother. The book gives explanations for why we have different races of humans and explains the gifts of each. This book is easy to read. I recommend it for anyone who is curoius about why we have gone astray in the world today. Also, it would be a great tool to share with children, who are all naturally connected with their inner wisdom. Remember to share this one with a friend.
A must read for seekers of the Truth.......1997-12-30
This book is a must for anyone interested in the spiritual ways of the Seneca's as told by the granddaughter of the last recognized medicine man of the Senecas. It's also her story. The story of how a stone person revealed her future birth and the challenges she would face in life as she took over where her grandfather left off. Included in the book is the language of the stones, a basic guide for revealing a personal message a particular rock might hold for you.
Book Description
In this pioneering book Daniel Usner examines the economic and cultural interactions among the Indians, Europeans, and African slaves of colonial Louisiana, including the province of West Florida. Rather than focusing on a single cultural group or on a particular economic activity, this study traces the complex social linkages among Indian villages, colonial plantations, hunting camps, military outposts, and port towns across a large region of pre-cotton South.
Usner begins by providing a chronological overview of events from French settlement of the area in 1699 to Spanish acquisition of West Florida after the Revolution. He then shows how early confrontations and transactions shaped the formation of Louisiana into a distinct colonial region with a social system based on mutual needs of subsistence. Usner's focus on commerce allows him to illuminate the motives in the contest for empire among the French, English, and Spanish, as well as to trace the personal networks of communication and exchange that existed among the territory's inhabitants. By revealing the economic and social world of early Louisianians, he lays the groundwork for a better understanding of later Southern society.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating Study of a Neglected Subject.......2000-09-01
Usner's Indians, Settlers and Slaves is a highly readable and path-breaking study of economic interactions in southern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama before the formation of the 'Old South.' Here is a world of great social complexity, and surprising equality, featuring the Upper Mississippi Valley in a time of low settlement density. A must for anyone trying to understand the long-term settlement dynamic of the South.
Way too long!.......2000-02-15
Welcome to the incredibly boring world of the Mississippi Valley. If you have to read this book, the last paragraph of each chapter will sum everything up for you. There is also a ten page summary at the end of the book! So if this is required reading, don't sweat it. You can get everything you need out of this book in ten minutes! Please don't waste your time reading the entire book.
Book Description
When Columbus landed in 1492, the New World was far from being a vast expanse of empty wilderness: it was home to some seventy-five million people. They ranged from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, spoke as many as two thousand different languages, and lived in groups that varied from small bands of hunter-gatherers to the sophisticated and dazzling empires of the Incas and Aztecs. This brilliantly detailed and documented volume brings together essays by fifteen leading scholars field to present a comprehensive and richly evocative portrait of Native American life on the eve of Columbus's first landfall.
Developed at the D'Arcy McNickle Center for the History of the American Indian and edited by award-winning author Alvin M. Josehpy, Jr., America in 1492 is an invaluable work that combines the insights of historians, anthropologists, and students of art, religion, and folklore. Its dozens of illustrations, drawn from largely from the rare books and manuscripts housed at the Newberry Library, open a window on worlds flourished in the Americas five hundred years ago.
Customer Reviews:
From Alaska to Terra del Fuego.......2007-04-08
In America in 1492: The World of the Indian Peoples Before the Arrival of Columbus, editor Alvin M. Josephy, Jr., presents a series of essays that dispel the popular idea that the American continents were sparsely populated by primitive hunter-gatherers (or, after Hollywood, Plains Indians whooping on horseback). This collection of essays, written by contributors such as Alan Kolata and Peter Nabokov, reveals the breadth and depth of Indian language, culture, arts, spirituality, and life ways. Part One covers the continents geographically, from northern Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, while Part Two examines language, religion, family and tribal or clan life, migration and cultural influence, systems of knowledge, and the arts. Renowned Native American writers N. Scott Momaday and Vine Deloria, Jr., contribute the first chapter, "The Becoming of the Native: Man in America Before Columbus," and the afterword, respectively.
The weaknesses of the approach are evident; some essays are stronger than others, depending on the writer's skill and bias and on the material available. Some contradict one another. In "In the Realm of the Four Quarters," Kolata's admiration for the success of the Inca empire is nearly boundless, while in "American Frontiers," Francis Jennings doubts the real strength of the empire over its conquered subjects and its economic, political, and military sustainability. Such a survey book can cover only so much information, and, not surprisingly, the Aztecs and Incas are more prominent than, for example, the nations that make up the Iroquois Confederacy.
Another weakness is focus, perhaps driven by lack of information in critical areas. Topics such as food, clothing, structures, tools, seasonal migration, major rituals, and so forth, are described in some detail, but whole areas are sometimes untouched or only briefly alluded to, such internal conflict resolution and justice systems, practical leadership (political vs. spiritual or hunting), the practicalities of daily life in large communal homes, and the frequency and practice of warfare. How often did conflicts occur and what provoked them? How were they conducted? How sustained were they?
Despite the inevitable shortcomings, 1492 does provide a good overview of life in the western hemisphere, from the head-hunting spiritual practices of some Amazonian tribes to the agricultural practices and cultivation of maize that spread from Mesoamerica, from trade routes to migration patterns. There are some surprises here for the novice, for example, that the Navajo so strongly associated in our contemporary minds with the southwestern desert migrated from the northern tundra; that the Great Plains were inhabited by farmers and that the tribes we associate with them, such as the Lakota, had not yet arrived there; and that extensive trade routes and trade centers existed, even if the concept of investment capital did not.
History emphasizes the differences between Europeans and pre-Columbian Indians, and certainly these differences--most obvious in the concepts behind language, in spirituality and philosophy, and in the ideas surrounding the individual and the community--are fundamental. As I read 1492, however, certain similarities to post-Roman Europe struck me. For example, there were the waves of migration that changed the face of Europe many times. There was the ability of Europeans, and others, to establish and use trade routes and centers despite geographical, language, and transportation barriers. In very general terms, on both sides of the Atlantic there was restlessness over land and power combined with a need to live cooperatively and to exchange easily obtained goods, such as shells on the coast, for desired ones found inland, such as corn and furs.
This raises the question, "What is an Indian?" Indians are the native peoples of the Americas, just as Europeans are those who inhabit Europe. It is a broad category that does not reveal much. As in Europe, there are hundreds of languages, cultures, and beliefs, and most likely there is no common ancestry among many of the groups. "European" provides you with only a very vague notion of a person or group; "Swedish" or "Greek" paints two very definite, and different, pictures. That is what should be kept in mind when you read 1492. "The World of the Indian Peoples Before the Arrival of Columbus" changes with every few miles, every alteration in climate or topography, every season, and the world of the Incas is nothing like the world of the Arawaks or Arikara.
As Vine Deloria and others tell us, prophecies pre-dating Columbus predict the arrival of the white man and go on to say that his predominance will be the shortest of all. We look around at our impressive infrastructure that has altered (and in many cases ruined) the land, our health and long lives, and our prosperity, and think that such a prediction seems absurd. Yet we have been here a tiny fraction of the time the Indian has, and as the latest reports about climate change and other environmental and resource issues should remind us, our present way of life is not sustainable for the long term; in fact, it has become problematic in only slightly more than 100 years. The year 1492 marked the end of thousands of years of Indian tradition; what year will mark the end of our ways as we know them?
The Americas before Columbus .......2005-04-24
"America in 1492" is a collection of 14 essays, mostly by anthropologists, about the Indians of the Americas just before the voyages of Christopher Columbus. The editor contributes an introduction and the well-known Indian scholar Vine Deloria, Jr. adds an afterword.
The book is attractive and its premise is superb: to describe the American Indians before their traditional life and culture were destroyed by the Europeans. But the book is not quite as good as it should be. The subject, ranging over two continents, is too broad to be covered adequately in one volume. The contributors are mostly anthropologists and the breadth of their vision is often restricted. Political correctness creeps into some essays. A description of the Aztecs trips quickly over the gory subject of human sacrifice -- widely practiced by the Aztecs and a central theme of their religion.
Moreover, the approach of most writers is anthropological and historical information is mostly ignored. Within 50 years of 1492, the Spanish and other explorers encountered Indians from Newfoundland to Tierra del Fuego and their eye-witness accounts, however brief and biased, are invaluable. The integration of these early historic accounts with anthropological information would result in much more vivid and realistic descriptions of the Indians in 1492. Alas, many of the authors rely on their own anthropologicial speciality, ignoring the eye-witness accounts of Cabeza de Vaca and the expeditions of De Soto and Coronado, among others, which could add materially to the validity of their accounts.
Finally, there is the afterword by DeLoria, the author of the best-selling, "Custer Died For Your Sins." In a thoughtful, interesting, but rambling essay, DeLoria introduces some fantastic notions. An inscription in Tennessee, he says, is written in ancient Hebrew -- thereby reviving the old (and ridiculous) theory that the Indians are descendants of the ten lost tribes of Israel. And, he proceeds onward to describe an Indian pictograph of a dinosaur, suggesting apparently that dinosaurs and American Indians co-existed! Without further explanation, such startling assertions do not belong in a book purporting to be factual.
I don't want to leave the impression that this is a bad book. It's not -- many of the essays are interesting and worth reading -- but a better book could be written or compiled on such a fascinating subject.
Smallchief
A superb book. A MUST read for anyone interested in truth.......1999-08-26
I am a professional computer scientist and an amature historian. This superb book makes the truth of what really happened so self evident that anyone who is really interested in truth must read it. It is expertly edited and written. A pleasure and a heart rendering story, at the same time.
Customer Reviews:
enlightening book on indigenous land use.......1999-01-07
Many of us have been given the impression that the indigenous people of the Americas before white invasion lived wandering, nomadic lives of fierce hunting with little if any organized manipulation of their environment. This book corrects this impression with seasoned research. Indigenous California is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in the world. This work focuses on the ways the people of the region helped sustain the land's yield for their own uses. Henry T. Lewis's contribution focuses on controlled burn practices, though the subject is included in several entries from other researchers. Burns occurred in every environment, were seasonally timed, and helped maintain a varied-age, mosaic landscape. Peri and Patterson and Ortiz cover maintenance of plants for baskets. Helen McCarthy discusses oak maintenance. Philip J. Wilke reports on bow stave extraction from living junipers. Swezey and Heizer discuss management of anadramous fish and also agriculture among the Paiute of Owens Valley, which involved irrigation, planting of grasses, and burns. The editors have done an excellent job at selecting the entries. All are fascinating and enhance the reader's picture of the West Coast as it once was. This reader from Texas wishes enough info was available on his region to do a similar compilation. Combine this book with Leeann Hinton's Flutes of Fire for a more complete picture of the richness of West Coast culture and with Helena Norberg-Hodge's Ancient Futures for an understanding of how indigenous wisdom can be sustained to improve our current lives. Indigenous people still, in California as elsewhere, face continued repression and this book can give some idea of the worth of their cultures and the importance of supporting their struggles.
Book Description
In offering here a highly readable yet comprehensive description of New England's Indians as they lived when European settlers first met them, the author provides a well-rounded picture of the natives as neither savages nor heroes, but fellow human beings existing at a particular time and in a particular environment. He dispels once and for all the common notion of native New England as peopled by a handful of savages wandering in a trackless wilderness.
In sketching the picture the author has had help from such early explorers as Verrazano, Champlain, John Smith, and a score of literate sailors; Pilgrims and Puritans; settlers, travelers, military men, and missionaries. A surprising number of these took time and trouble to write about the new land and the characteristics and way of life of its native people. A second major background source has been the patient investigations of modern archaeologists and scientists, whose several enthusiastic organizations sponsor physical excavations and publications that continually add to our perception of prehistoric men and women, their habits, and their environment.
This account of the earlier New Englanders, of their land and how they lived in it and treated it; their customs, food, life, means of livelihood, and philosophy of life will be of interest to all general audiences concerned with the history of Native Americans and of New England.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating, Informative, and Flawed.......2004-03-22
Of course I was attracted to this book for all the reasons you are, and it does present some interesting insights into aboriginal life in our region. Mr. Russell is strongest in is knowledge of Algonquian vocabulary and on the subjects of hunting and cultivation. Prepare yourself for an extensive discussion of maize. And who knew that the Pamola was "the spirit of the night air?" The reader will be disappointed, however, in the shallow treatment of arts and clothing. Illustrations are principally rough sketches, and some of the few photos are of museum dioramas. One illustration shows tools "possibly used to remove bark from trees," though those tools appear identical to what are called pestles for grinding maize in other illustrations and photos. Readers with high regard for science should completely skip the chapter titled "Health and Illness," because it is infuriating. It is one thing to report the Indians' superstitions, and quite another to endorse them. Even so, Mr. Russell's confusing superstition for fact shows up in other chapters, and detracts from the book's value. He shouldn't say that wild animals are known to eat tobacco as a remedy for snakebite if there is not the slightest evidence to support it. And to suggest, as he does, that "certain medicine men were especially sensitive to atmospheric pressure changes and relative humidity," enabling them to predict rain two days away is, well, irresponsible, and detracts from Mr. Russell's overall scholarship. Still, I rate the book a three out of five, because anyone with such an obvious affection for the New England Indian is a kindred spirit.
Very Informative.......2002-11-29
If you want to know what real daily life was like for New England tribes before the Europeans arrived, this is the book to read. I especially enjoyed the chapter about what a typical day would be like in the summer or the winter. Very enjoyable reading, also great to keep for reference.
Best resource you'll find!.......2000-09-28
This is an amazing resource on the everyday lives of the natives of New England. I love this book! So many interesting details, like how the English were shocked at the amount of wildlife they found in the area, how the natives were disgusted by European war tactics, and how native women gave birth to their babies (I won't go into detail there!). The author draws his info from the first explorers of the east coast to early settlers, using plenty of quotes. There are black and white drawings, maps, and photos too. This book is a colorful and educational step back in time. You'll learn things you would never have thought to ask about. Whether you are researching or just into history, it's a great book to have.
A must for any Native American enthusiast........1998-05-03
I picked this book up a couple of weeks ago at the Harvard Book store in Boston, Mass. It is an excellent book for anyone researching the pre-contact Native Peoples of New England. From Personal Characteristics to Horticulture and Warfare, Howard Russell's publication is phenomenal. It is full of primary source excerpts, which really backs up the author's writing. A must-read.
Average customer rating:
- Mostly Unverifiable or Untrue, but Always Fascinating
|
Legend and Lore of the Americas Before 1492: An Encyclopedia of Visitors, Explorers, and Immigrants
Ronald H. Fritze
Manufacturer: ABC-Clio
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Binding: Hardcover
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Customer Reviews:
Mostly Unverifiable or Untrue, but Always Fascinating.......2002-09-22
This is one of the most intriguing, tantalizing books I've come across in ages. Ronald Fritze has made a study of old legends, from China, Europe, Africa, and the Islamic world, of possible visitors to the shores of America before Columbus. Not only legends are included -- he has also written about the theories of Barry Fell, which are based upon supposed epigraphic evidence, and also many tales which are articles of faith to followers of the Mormon faith. While most of these old tales can probably never be proven scientifically, it is certainly pleasant to experience a sense of wonder about the legends, and to ask "what if" some of these putative expeditions, if they ever took place, had met with greater success...
There are 216 alphabetically arranged entries in this encyclopedic volume. Entries range from 50 words to several pages in length. The volume is NOT divided up into sub-categories such as authors, explorers, quasi-mythical geographic locales, etc. Instead, they are all alphabetized together, in a single, book-long sequence. Most entries include a small bibliography for further reading. Also, there is a complete bibliography at the end, including approximately 300 books and articles.
There are maps of the world inside both front and back covers, showing relevant ocean currents as well as continents, etc. There are also illustrations and photos. These include line drawings of various ships, a photo of Thor Heyerdahl, photographs of various provocative artifacts, reproductions of old prints and lithographs, etc.
One of my favorite entries is the one about Chinese expeditions to "Fusang," which may be what early Buddhist explorers called America. The story of Madoc, the disenfranchised Welsh prince who may have sailed to our shores in 1170 A.D., is also captivating. There are articles about Abu-Bakari of Mali, who may have landed in Central America in the 14th century; Muslim sailors who sailed to a place across the Atlantic which they called "Mu-Lan-Pi;" and Henry Sinclair of the Orkney Islands, who some believe may have sailed to Newfoundland in 1398. There are dozens and dozens of stories like this, and reading this book can become as addictive as eating an extra-large bag of good popcorn at a movie.
The entries are not merely descriptive, but also, very cautiously, evaluative. Fritze is generally quite hard-headed in his assessments of all these legends. I guesstimate that he dismisses at least three quarters of these stories as being wholly unfounded. Personally, I have to admit that he's probably on target in that assessment. The stories are incredibly interesting, nevertheless, and can really get you imagination working. I'd recommend this book to anyone with a healthy sense of wonder, from age 9 and up. Definitely two thumbs up.
If you enjoy this kind of thing, I would like to make some recommendations. "Phantom Islands of the Atlantic: The Legends of Seven Lands That Never Were," by Donald S. Johnson, is really good. "Quest for America," by Geoffrey Ashe, is out of print, but if you can ask your local librarian to help you find a copy, it's a lot of fun. The January, 2000 issue of the "Atlantic Monthly" has a really neat article on the subject, written by Marc Stengel, and entitled "The Diffusionists Have Landed." Finally, you need to know about the monumental two-volume set "Pre-Columbian Contact With the Americas Across the Oceans: An
Annotated Bibliography," by John L. Sorenson, and Martin H. Raish.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Collection of Essays.......2007-07-24
"Cherokee Removal: Before and After" is a collection of concise, well written essays that serve as a gateway to the study of Cherokee History. The introduction, by Editor William Anderson, provides an overview for the essays and gives a summary of federal and state attitudes toward the Cherokees. The most interesting argument that Anderson makes is one to cast Andrew Jackson in a more favorable light. Contrary to many historians assertion that Jackson actively sought to remove and destroy Indians, Anderson says Jackson was "legally powerless" to act in favor of the Cherokees when the state of Georgia refused to abide by the Supreme Court's decision for the Cherokees in "Worcester v. Georgia". Anderson argues that Jackson overlooked Georgia's non-compliance in order to keep Georgia from joining South Carolina in open rebellion over the nullification of federal tariffs. It is an interesting idea that Anderson proposes, and one not always considered in standard texts of U.S. History. In addition to editing this book, Anderson contributes a wonderful bibliographical essay, a rich road map of sources for study of the Cherokees during prehistoric time, the colonial period, and federal influence.
The first essay, by Douglas C. Wilms, examines how outsiders such as fur traders, missionaries, and the federal government instituted change in how the Cherokees farmed, apportioned and populated their land. The essay contains useful charts and maps showing where and how the Cherokees lived prior to their removal in the late 1830s to what is now Oklahoma. Wilms draws from a census of the Cherokee Nation in 1835 and puts the information in an easily understandable format. A key point of the essay is that the Cherokees came much further in "civilizing" themselves at the time of removal than the federal government was willing to recognize.
The second composition, by Ronald N. Satz, provides a closer look at President Andrew Jackson. While some historians have portrayed Jackson as a devil in regard to his Native American policies, others have said his aims were benevolent and paternalistic. Satz compares the rhetoric versus the reality of the Jackson administration. Satz's analysis points out the danger of one dimensional simplification in history and discusses a variety of factors that influenced the fate of the Indians during the Jackson era.
Theda Perdue writes the third essay, in which she examines the state of Cherokee politics at the time of removal. It is a particularly enlightening paper, disputing the contention by many white Americans of the time that the vast majority of Cherokees were in favor of removal but were held back by the aristocratic elite in their tribe. Perdue shows that the aristocrats and the common Cherokees were united against removal. The federal government, however, chose to negotiate with a group of ambitious "middle class" Cherokees who had previously been frustrated in their efforts to become wealthy and join the Cherokee ruling aristocracy. By rewarding these men, the federal government got its removal treaty.
The population loss sustained by the Cherokees along the Trail of Tears is the topic of essay four, by Russell Thornton. Through mathematical calculations or demographics, Thornton more closely examines the birth rate, death rate, and migration patterns of the Cherokees. In addition to describing some of the horrors of this episode, he proposes that the actual population loss should be considered perhaps twice the total as is traditionally quoted by scholars.
John Finger discusses the fate of the North Carolina Cherokees, who escaped the tragedy of removal. This essay brings to the fore certain individuals, both Indian and white, who acted on behalf of the North Carolina Cherokees. Finger explains how the North Carolina Cherokees came to be the Eastern Band in the Great Smoky Mountains that attract millions of tourists annually.
The sixth essay, by Rennard Strickland and William Strickland, tells the story of the Cherokees up to the edge of the 21st century. They high-light some turning points which might have spelled the extinction of the tribe. But their essay also emphasizes Cherokee resilience and accomplishments.
"Cherokee Removal: Before and After" is highly recommended as an introduction to Cherokee History and a reference for further study.
Books:
- A Devil's Chaplain: Reflections on Hope, Lies, Science, and Love
- A Time Before Crack
- Atheist Universe: The Thinking Person's Answer to Christian Fundamentalism
- Biological Science, Volume 2: Evolution, Diversity, and Ecology (2nd Edition) (Biological Science)
- Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac)
- Bring Back the Buffalo!: A Sustainable Future for America's Great Plains
- Building Genetic Medicine: Breast Cancer, Technology, and the Comparative Politics of Health Care (Inside Technology)
- Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities: The Causes of Mass Extinctions
- Chemical Oceanography
- Coaching for Improved Work Performance, Revised Edition
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