Nature and the Environment in Pre-Columbian American Life

(Hardback)

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Description

Prehistoric North Americans lived on, in, and surrounded by nature. As a result, everything they were resulted from this co-existence. From interpersonal relations to supernatural beliefs, from housing size and function to the food they ate and clothing they wore, the life of Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans was intimately intertwined with the environment. What is known about these societies is often sketchy at best, having survived largely through archaeological remains and oral tradition. Scholars have tried to understand Native American history on its own terms, trying to understand who and what they were in reality - a complex, diverse multitude of populations that defined themselves entirely through what they saw, heard, and experienced everyday - their natural environment. This accessible resource provides an excellent introduction for those needing a first step to researching the daily lives of Native Americans in the centuries before the arrival of Europeans.

Reviews

Kowtko describes North America before Columbus' expedition in terms of natural history and environs, using select tribes to illustrate the people from a societal and environmental perspective that links the land and the people together. She discusses which tribes were in North America, interactions with the land, agriculture and habitation, hunting and gathering methods, spirituality, migration, leisure, and gender roles. * Reference & Research Book News *
[F]or students in middle and high school and general readers, shows what life was really like for ordinary people.[t]hroughout history.This volume is an excellent resource for students to research Native Americans before the Europeans arrived in America. * Multicultural Review *

Author Bio

Stacy Kowtko is assistant professor of history at Spokane Community College. She teaches Interdisciplinary Studies classes and American History classes. Her current research involves the history and culture of tourism by Americans.