Publication date:
15 November 2016Length of book:
552 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442251458
Combining historical background with discussion of contemporary Native nations and their living cultures, this comprehensive text introduces students to some of the many indigenous peoples in North America. The book is organized into parts corresponding to regional divisions within which similar, though not identical, cultural practices developed. Each part opens with an overview of the topography, climate, and natural resources in the area, and describes the range of cultural practices and beliefs grounded in the area. Subsequent chapters are devoted to specific tribal groups, their history, and the conditions of contemporary Native communities.
Nancy Bonvillain provides context for the regional and tribe-specific chapters through a brief overview of Native American history beginning around 1500 and covering the early period of European exploration and colonization. She details both U.S. and Canadian policies affecting the lives, cultures, and survival of more than five hundred Native nations on this continent. Finally, she offers up-to-date demographics and addresses significant social, economic, and political issues concerning Native communities.
The second edition features new material throughout, including a new two-chapter section on the Native nations of the Plateau, expanded introductory material addressing topics such as climate change and recent Supreme Court decisions, up-to-date demographic and economic data, and more.
Nancy Bonvillain provides context for the regional and tribe-specific chapters through a brief overview of Native American history beginning around 1500 and covering the early period of European exploration and colonization. She details both U.S. and Canadian policies affecting the lives, cultures, and survival of more than five hundred Native nations on this continent. Finally, she offers up-to-date demographics and addresses significant social, economic, and political issues concerning Native communities.
The second edition features new material throughout, including a new two-chapter section on the Native nations of the Plateau, expanded introductory material addressing topics such as climate change and recent Supreme Court decisions, up-to-date demographic and economic data, and more.
Bonvillain captures the vitality of Native peoples today as well as the current issues they face. She places Native people and their continued struggles squarely in a contemporary framework, covering a variety of crucial topics from climate change to taxation. Emphasizing the concept of nations and sovereignty, she describes reservations, reserves, and treaties in a way that is frank and refreshing.