Talk:Introduction to US History/America Before Columbus

I would to start by saying that I think a definitive textbook about the United Stats would not focus greatly on MesoAmerica. Aztek, Incan and Mayan civilizations do not greatly influence the United States. I will post a rewrite of the book here.

Bear in mind that I intend to preserve much of the wording of the lecture and where possible merely expand upon it. I am also going to have to do more researches on the major indian tribes; of which I think there are four; Iroquois leaque, Navajo, Ojibwa and the Cherokee (one of so called civilized tribes). There are other potentially interesting tribes, such as the apache raiders... but I don't think a long discussion of exterminated prehistorical indians is warranted.

we will also try to steer clear of the whole messy debate about early american settlement (which is more an issue of anthropology and archeology and occurs in the prehistoric past).--Jolie 19:25, 10 October 2008 (UTC)
 * We will need to go into the early american cultures at least a little, as the College Board has it listed in the official course overview for AP US History. Geo.plrd 07:17, 12 October 2008 (UTC)
 * Question then, Are Incan, Aztec and Mayan cultures a neccessary part of a course overview? if so, that's odd (in a study about US history).  Otherwise, I'm not exactly sure what you mean.  Perhaps we can discuss this better once I have written and attached my rough draft.--Jolie 12:01, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

attached for comments and Definitely not done. I want to print it out and think about it awhile.

I also want to figure out how to attach a file.

This section of lecture notes is intended to be included into our book called "United we stand". It is an introduction to American History suitable for a beginning AP study of American History. I would like to start by saying that you don't need prior historical knowledge to learn US History. Everyone has to start somewhere. In fact, due to the poor instruction of our primary schools (in the US), it is probably better that you don't know anything. The big key is that you need to approach this course with an open mind. Some of the information may shock you. Well folks, welcome to US History.

The first bit of shocking information is that Christopher Columbus is not the beginning of America. Regardless of what some texts say, there was civilization in America. Before you think I am bashing Europeans, there is something you need to know about perspective. Humans have a funny way of seeing things. What one may see is not what may actually be the truth. To a European, the civilizations in America were heathen and not civilized. Imagine what the early Americans thought about the Europeans?

The beginning of civilization in America occurs down the last Ice age, some 20 to 10 thousand years ago. At that time, huge ice sheets created much lower sea levels creating a land mass between Asia and North America. In time, a gap in two large ice sheets would create a connection from lands near present day Alaska, though Alberta and into the continental United States.

Nomadic Asians following herds of wild game traveled into the continental united states. A characteristic arrow point was found and first described near the present day town of Clovis, NM. Specialized tools and common burial practices have also been described in many sites found throughout North America.

Clovis man could be considered one of Americans earliest civilizations. It is not clear whether the Clovis people were one unified tribe or whether there were many tribes related by common technology and belief. Their nomadic trek across 2000 rugged miles in one of the great feats of pre-historical man. The Clovis culture disappears dramatically from the archaeological record 12,900 years ago. There is widespread speculation about what caused their disappearance. Theories range from the extinction of the mammoth to sudden environmental changes caused by a comet impacting or earth or the break of a massive freshwater lake, Lake Agassiz.

There is considerable controversy about Pre-Clovis settlement of North and South America. Comparative culture and linguistics offer evidence of influences of early America by several different contemporary cultures. Some genetic and time-dating studies point to the possibility that ancient Americans came from other places and arrived earlier than Clovis sites in north America. Perhaps some ancient settlers to the hemisphere traveled by boat along the seashore, or arrived by boats from the Polynesian islands. If this is true, these people would have an additional influence. A minority of historians believe that the cultures of the Ancient Mediterranean also may have visited America. There is no evidence to support this at this point in time, but that may change as new archaeological discoveries are made.

As time went on, people settled down. Instead of hunting, they started to domesticate animals and farm. Three important crops to remember are corn, beans, and squash. Corn was the mainstay of American agriculture. While many tribes remained primitive in agricultural techniques, some rose above the pack. The Hohokam Indians utilized extensive irrigation to survive in the arid southwest. There innovation was copied by tribes still populating the area, notably the Hopi Indians of northeastern Arizona. Customs were developed by observations that ensured a good harvest. Crop rotation was practiced to conserve the soil. All these techniques show that the natives were not as primitive as Europeans thought. Not all cultures settled down. Some tribes continued to be hunter-gatherers. An example would be the Lakota of the United States. However these tribes did not waste like Europeans. Moderation was evident in many societies. The first people were environmentalists before there was such a term. This allowed people to live in smaller areas with less of an impact. Europeans settling North America felt that the Native Americans were uncivilized due to their reluctance to adopt Western culture and practice. Specifically, Some Americans felt that if Indians adopted the practice of private property, build homes, farm, educate their children, and embraced Christianity, Native Americans would win acceptance from white Americans.

George Washington and Henry Knox proposed the cultural transformation of Native Americans. Washington believed that Native Americans were equals but that their society was inferior. He formulated a policy to encourage the "civilizing" process, and Thomas Jefferson continued it.

The government appointed agents, like Benjamen Hawkins, to live among the Indians and to teach them, through example and instruction, how to live like whites. The tribes of the southeast bided with Washington's policy as they established schools, adopted yeoman farming practices, converted to Christianity, and built homes like their colonial neighbors. Ultimately though each of these tribes were relocated after the passage of Indian removal act of 1830. The inhumane treatment given to these peaceful and civilized Indian tribes show that the European failed to appreciate Native American culture. European settlement would have a devastating effect on these first Americans.

Some revisionists like to claim that the first people were peaceful until Europeans brought conflict and slavery. This is not true. Tribes throughout North American frequently had warlike behavior towards their neighbors and feuds between Indians lasted for centuries and took many lives. The Wyandot were formed by a war between the Hurons and the Iroquois. Goaded by political maneuverings of two Europeans powers in the American, the Iroquois invaded and nearly destroyed the Huron tribe. The Huron then banded with the Petun of Ohio and southern Michigan for mutual self-defense becoming the Wyandot tribe. They were not kind people who spent their time smoking the peace pipe. This doesn't mean that America is as it was before Columbus. America was a different area. Large scale mining only appeared with the Europeans. Also, horses came with Europeans. Before Columbus, warfare was fought on foot, and game was hunted from the ground.

This all shows that there was civilization before Columbus. These civilizations were very diverse and some civilizations were highly advanced. Despite their advances, they still suffered from warfare, inhumanity, and slavery because that is human nature.

Audio
If you've got a good reading voice, consider recording this lecture when it's in a fairly "completed" state, so that it can be listened to like a real lecture. I might be willing to do this upon request, though if I did so, I'd edit the lecture first slightly to fit my speaking style. The Jade Knight (d'viser) 21:40, 14 October 2008 (UTC)
 * Once the lectures are complete, they will be recorded. Geo.plrd 05:48, 15 October 2008 (UTC)