Introduction
The history of Native Americans is, ultimately, the history of America. They were, after all, here first, right?
And we cannot truly know who we are today without looking back at the first occupants of this land and understanding how their presence, cultures, and beliefs influenced and shaped everything that was to follow.
The indigenous people who were here hundreds of years before Columbus arrived are now known by several terms, including the most common:
Native American
American Indian
Indigenous peoples
First Nations (in Canada)
In this book, we basically use them all, mainly selecting which identifying term to use based on clarity and historical accuracy. For example, we often use “indigenous people” when referring to a time hundreds of years before European contact. Why? Because there was no “America” at the time and referring to the native peoples of that period as “Native Americans” or “American Indians” is just plain silly.
“Indian” is the legal term for all tribal people in the U.S., including Alaska, so even though it’s a misnomer (this ain’t India, folks), the term has become part of American law, and so we use it freely.
“Native American” is the more popular term these days, but even that one has its opponents. Why? Because it’s technically inaccurate. Anyone born in America is native to America. Thus, your second-generation Italian-American next-door neighbor can logically (albeit ludicrously) refer to himself as a Native American. But we use it anyway, because it’s part of the American lexicon.
About This Book
Native American History For Dummies is a general interest reference work that presents much of what you might want to know about Indians in America, from the earliest migration theories, to the newest techniques for identifying remains for repatriation.
Plus, the organization of this and every other For Dummies book makes it perfect for either reading straight through, selective browsing, or the reading of individual, self-contained chapters. Each chapter is like a mini-book unto itself. And within each chapter, the content is organized by headings for ease of reading and for continuity. Unto itself.
You can even skip material in each chapter — specifically, the sidebars — and still absorb the info of the chapter with no problem.
Conventions Used in This Book
When this book was printed, some Web addresses may have needed to break across two lines of text. If that happened, rest assured that we haven’t put in any extra characters (such as hyphens) to indicate the break. So, when using one of these Web addresses, just type in exactly what you see in this book, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist.
Also, because this book is about Native American history, you will find some rather challenging proper names and tribal names. In every case we’ve gone with the most traditional and accepted spelling, but have omitted pronunciation guides, mainly because on a page with several names and tribes mentioned, we’d be devoting an awful lot of page space to parenthetical pronunciation information. It’s not necessary, since we assume you’re not going to be reading this aloud and so you can scan over the names and still understand the material.
What You’re Not to Read
Like we said, you don’t have to read the sidebars if you don’t want to or don’t have the time. They’re second-tier material but, in all honesty, you’ll really enjoy them if you read them anyway! (Prejudiced much?)
What we mean is that sidebars are often used for ancillary material that, while it isn’t critical to know, can certainly be fun to know! And what’s wrong with that, right?
Foolish Assumptions
What we assume about you, oh dear For Dummies reader, is that, for one thing, you know how to read. (Sorry. Little joke.)
Seriously, though, this For Dummies book assumes that you have a basic foundation in simple American History: “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue . . .” and so forth and so on.
We also assume that if you bought this book, you are more than a little interested in the history of pre-Columbian peoples on the North American continent. And that you are open to having stereotypes exploded, myths debunked, and sacred assumptions de-sacredized. (De-sacredized is probably not a word, but we think you know what we mean.)
How This Book Is Organized
This book is structured into parts, chapters, and headings:
Parts are all-encompassing, single-theme, topic-based collections of chapters grouped together.
Chapters zoom in on specific topics and look at these topics in detail.
Headings and subheadings are how chapters are organized and they zoom in on the material even closer.
Let’s put it this way: imagine you’re the Hubbell telescope. (C’mon, just play along, okay?) As you read through the book and move from part, to chapter, to heading, it’s sort of like you’re turning the thing that makes the Hubbell zoom in on a planet, a star, a UFO, or the guy in the apartment building across the street playing the oboe in his underwear.
Here’s a look at the individual parts of the book and what they cover.
Part I: America Before It Was “America”
These chapters look at how the people who were here before October 12 became Columbus Day got here, the different cultures and peoples, where they settled, what America looked like thousands of years ago, and how the tribes formed and where they migrated.
Part II: Interacting with Others
These chapters talk about what happened after the first Indian said, “Honey, we’ve got company!” Plus, they look at great leaders and warriors, how the Spanish and French explorers often made a mess of things, the fighting that went on and still goes on, and how Indians have interacted with the U.S. from the nation’s earliest days up through today.
Part III: Working for a Living
Food, shelter, clothes, and travel. These chapters look at these basic needs of all Indians and how they provided them.
Part IV: All in the (Native American) Family
Tribal structures, families, how languages developed, and how signs and pictures served as communication tools. Also, this part looks at the religious beliefs and creation myths of tribes and talks about how artifacts like peyote and totem poles are used in ritual and worship.
Part V: In a Modern World Not of Their Making
This part looks at the often grim picture of Native American life today. But it also points out how things are getting better and highlights Indian endeavors like gaming, offshore mineral rights, forestry, coal mining, and individually owned businesses.
Part VI: The Part of Tens
This fun section looks at Native American museums and cultural centers, movies and documentaries, and great books about Native American history.
Icons Used in This Book
An icon is a visual symbol that tells you you’re about to learn something cool.
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Where to Go from Here
You can read this book anyway you want to. Start anywhere and go anywhere.
Part III, “Working For a Living” is probably a good place to start, since it’s a “daily life” kind of chapter and will immediately acclimate you to the whole Native American mojo, to boldly mix cultural references.
Remember, For Dummies books are meant to be fun to read and to make finding out more about a topic easy. The entire series is a unique blend of both discovery and entertainment.
So go explore. And be entertained while so doing, okay?