Native American Studies Essay

Native American Studies Essay

Part 1: Video Assignment

Make a comparison of the population demographics in the New World compared to what was seen in Europe pre-conquest.

The new world (the Americas) was sparsely populated, with native communities living in small villages that were spread across the entire continent, including the Andes in the South, Mesoamerica in the Middle, and the Mississippi in the North. For example, the Powhatan region in Virginia, which the British conquered, comprised about 14,000 inhabitants residing in small communities of nearly 200 villages. Documentary101 estimates that approximately 100 million Natives lived in the continent of America (which covers a total of 42.55 square kilometers) before the European conquest (2017). However, more than half of this population was annihilated by the first Spanish settlers, using weapons, horses, and diseases (especially smallpox). On the other hand, Europe was densely populated, with more than 100 million people parked in a region of nearly 10.18 square kilometers. All the natural resources, including forests, land, fish, gold, and silver, were stressed to the limit because of the dense population.

What are the resources available to Native Populations in New World opposed to Europe and what access does the general population have to these resources?

In the New World, the Americas had vast lands, plenty of dense forests (such as the Amazon), wild animals (including caribou, antelope, bison, and the grizzly), and birds (pigeons, ducks, and geese). Native Mississippians were also farmers, growing corn (a product of genetic engineering) and different tuber (potatoes) varieties. Corn and potatoes were the major source of food for the natives. Lamar was the biggest domesticated animal used for transport, meat source, soil dung, and hide for cloths. Turkey was the second most important domesticated animal. Fish and seafood from the freshwater lakes and rivers and the Atlantic were also abundant. The Atlantic was covered with fish (such as the river herring), whales, dolphins, and many other species, such as catfish and sheepshead. The Americas were also filled with different edible fruit species, including orchards, papaya, mango, nuts, cocoa, and palms. They also grew chilies, pumpkins, tomatoes, potatoes, and many other crops unknown to Europeans (Documentary101, 2017).

On the other hand, the Europeans were planting wheat, rye, oats, and barley. They also domesticated animals, with cattle providing meat and hide, horses used to pull plows and transport, and pigs and sheep supplying meat and leather. In addition, cows were a major milk, butter, and cheese source. During the conquest, the fish supplies in Europe had dropped because of the pollution of fresh rivers, with migratory fish species like Salmon finding these new environments unsuitable.

After watching the video, list what ethnocentric views existed in Europe that would affect most interactions with native populations on conquest.

1. Conquering lands and people through war.
2. The use of horses for transport and war.
3. The domestication of pigs for food.
4. The use of diseases, such as smallpox, as a weapon of war to kill masses.

Part 2: Map Assignment of Native People

According to the map, which of the cultural groups would have engaged in Agriculture?

The cultures that possibly engaged in agriculture are those that lived along the coastlines of the Americas, both along the Atlantic and the Pacific. In the Northeast (bordering the Atlantic), the cultures that likely took part in farming are the Powhatan, Oneida, Mohawk, Cayuga, Susquehannock, Seneca, Onondaga, Tuscarora, and Erie. The Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw planted crops in the Southeast. In Middle America and Southwest (bordering the Pacific), the groups that farmed include the Miskito, Zapotek, Maya, Mixtec, Aztec, Hopi, Taino, and Navajo. Lastly, only Paiute cultivated crops in the Northwest.

Did most trade routes run North/South or East/West? What is the most plausible explanation for this?

From the map, a majority of the trade routes moved East/West rather than North/South. One of the practical or plausible explanations for this is that most rivers in the Americas (especially the United States) run East/West (such as the Red River, River Missouri, the Arkansas River) as opposed to North/South. Therefore, a large percentage of trade followed the courses of these rivers, which were the main means of transport at the time.

On the eve of European contact, Native American tribes spread across the North American continent and encompassed a range of different cultures, languages, and religious beliefs. Trade goods exchanged among these diverse groups furnished avenues of communication across the continent. According to this map, which geographic features presented barriers to trade? Which geographic features would have facilitated trade?

From the map, some of the features that facilitated trade include water bodies, including rivers (like the Red River, the Arkansas River, River Missouri, and the Mississippi River), lakes (such as L. Michigan and L. Superior), and oceans (the Atlantic and Pacific). On the other hand, some of the geographic features that hindered or barred trade between native communities include mountains (such as the Rocky Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains, and Mt. Whitney) and the expansive Cascade Range in the Northwest.

References

Documentary 101. (2017, June 24). America before Columbus (Documentary) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-WdMD4HaxQ&t=3s

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Native American Studies Essay

Part 1: Think back to the video segments and answer the following questions:

Please view the video before completing the assignment. View the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-WdMD4HaxQ&t=3s

Make a comparison of the population demographics in the New World compared to what was seen in Europe pre-conquest.

What are the resources available to Native Populations in the New World opposed to Europe and what access does the general population have to these resources?

After watching this video, list what ethnocentric views existed in Europe that would affect most interactions with native populations on conquest.

Part 2: Map Assignment of Native People

Pre-work

Investigate: What is the difference between a physical and a political map?

Locate this physical map of the United States and examine it carefully, making note of the mountain ranges,

rivers, lakes, and deserts.
http://www.freeworldmaps.net/northamerica/united-states/map.html

Look at the Map “Native Peoples” (c 1500)
http://www.pasleybrothers.com/mocourses/history3/images/indians.jpg
Click on the map to enlarge it until it fills your screen
Study the map and carefully note the Cultural Groups and Trade Routes.

Answer the following questions:

• According to the map, which of the cultural groups would have engaged in agriculture?
• Did most trade routes run North/South or East/West? What is the most plausible explanation for this?
• On the eve of European contact, Native American tribes spread across the North American continent and encompassed a range of different cultures, languages, and religious beliefs. Trade goods exchanged among these diverse groups furnished avenues of communication across the continent. According to this map, which geographic features presented barriers to trade? Which geographic features would have facilitated trade?

Formatting

• The paper should be 1 – 2 pages in length
• Double space and use Times New Roman font size 12 or Arial font size 11
• Completely document references used (text citations and reference page).