Native American History For Dummies

by Dorothy Lippert, Stephen J. Spignesi

Overview

Call them Native Americans, American Indians, indigenous peoples, or first nations — a vast and diverse array of nations, tribes, and cultures populated every corner of North America long before Columbus arrived. Native American History For Dummies reveals what is known about their pre-Columbian history and shows how their presence, customs, and beliefs influenced everything that was to follow.

This straightforward guide breaks down their ten-thousand-plus year history and explores their influence on European settlement of the continent. You'll gain fresh insight into the major tribal nations, their cultures and traditions, warfare and famous battles; and the lives of such icons as Pocahontas, Sitting Bull and Sacagawea. You'll discover:

• How and when the Native American's ancestors reached the continent
• How tribes formed and where they migrated
• What North America was like before 1492
• How Native peoples maximized their environment
• Pre-Columbian farmers, fishermen, hunters, and traders
• The impact of Spain and France on the New World
• Great Warriors from Tecumseh to Geronimo
• How Native American cultures differed across the continent
• Native American religions and religious practices
• The stunning impact of disease on American Indian populations
• Modern movements to reclaim Native identity
• Great museums, books, and films about Native Americans

Packed with fascinating facts about functional and ceremonial clothing, homes and shelters, boatbuilding, hunting, agriculture, mythology, intertribal relations, and more, Native American History For Dummies provides a dazzling and informative introduction to North America's first inhabitants.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470148419
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	10/29/2007
Series:	For Dummies Books
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	453,107
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Dorothy Lippert, PhD, a member of the Choctaw nation, is a lecturer on Native American topics and a contributor to American Indian Quarterly.

Stephen J. Spignesi is the coauthor of George Washington's Leadership Lessons.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: America Before It Was “America” 7

Chapter 1: The Rich, Troubled Past of the American Indian 9

Chapter 2: The Great Migrations 27

Chapter 3: The Development of the Ancient Cultures 41

Chapter 4: Hardly a Vast Wasteland: America before 1492 57

Chapter 5: Settling Down: Tribal Settlements after the Great Migrations 67

Chapter 6: The Five Civilized Tribes 91

Chapter 7: A Tally of Important Tribes 107

Part II: Interacting with Others 125

Chapter 8: “Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue” 127

Chapter 9: The Spanish and French Stake Their Claims 137

Chapter 10: Native American Chiefs and Notable Women 159

Chapter 11: Battle Cries and Peace Pipes 179

Chapter 12: Delving into the Details of U.S.-Indian Relations 203

Part III: Working for a Living 215

Chapter 13: Mother Love 217

Chapter 14: Dressing for Purpose and Pride 229

Chapter 15: Home, Native Home 243

Chapter 16: Tools and Transportation 253

Part IV: All in the (Native American) Family 267

Chapter 17: Tribes, Clans, and Bands 269

Chapter 18: Native Languages 279

Chapter 19: The Faith of Their Fathers And How Native Americans Worship Today 287

Part V: In a Modern World Not of Their Making 297

Chapter 20: The Slow Dwindling of Native Americans 299

Chapter 21: What’s a Tribe, Who’s an Indian, and What’s the BIA Got to Do With It 309

Chapter 22: Native Americans: Today and Tomorrow 317

Part VI: The Part of Tens 333

Chapter 23: Ten Native American Museums and Cultural Centers 335

Chapter 24: Ten (Plus) Worthy Movies and Documentaries about Native Americans and Their History 339

Index 347