Book Review: The World of Native Americans

 The World of Native Americans by Marion Wood, consultant Colin Taylor, Peter Bedrick Books, New York, 1997.

This b ook starts with talking about the history of the Native Americans in preColumbian times.  This includes talking of the mound builders.  

It then divides the Native American world into eight geographical regions:

Southeastern Woodlands. The Natchez is one group that was completed wiped out, to war and disease when the white man came.  Other groups adjusted to white ways.  This included the Cherokee, Creek and Choctaw.  The Seminole resisted White encroachment be moving further south into the swamps.  Many were removed to Oklahoma.

Northeastern Woodlands were generally farmers.  The Iroquois were great farmers.  They relied mostly on the "three sisters" corn, squash and beans.  The league of Iroquois was made up of five tribes, Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca and Onandaga.  The Tuscarora later joined.  This region also included Great Lakes tribes.  The Iroquois lived in great lodges.  Several lodges were included in a walled in community.

The Northern Forests region includes most of canada and into Alaska.  People in this area had to adjust to dolc temperatures and snow.  They used snow shoes and toboggans.  

The Plateau and Basin. This area includes the Columbia River Basin and the Great Basin in Nevada and Utah where the water drains inward into salt lakes.  The Basin Indians faced much hardship.  The hunted smaller game and dug for roots.

California The area of California has many different native American groups.  

Northwest Coast. Native American in this area were dependent on what the could produce from the ocean.  Their were whaling groups in specially constructed kayaks.  They would make totems as special spiritual symbols.  

The Great Plains. The area between the Mississippi and the great basin saw many native American groups whose primary resource was the buffalo.  This would require a nomadic lifestyle.  Some groups followed the buffalo, while others would have permanent homes, but temporary homes when the went on the annual buffalo hunt.  The Sun dance would also sometimes be part of the buffalo hunt.  The Sioux, Blackfoot and Pawnee are examples of Great Plains tribes.

Southwest. This is again a desert area.  Very fine pottery comes out of this area.  The Hopi had many special spiritual customs incluing the Kachina doll.  The Navajo became very adept at weaving blankets.

Very good book for general information.