Atlas of the North American Indian

by Carl Waldman

Book Overview

This comprehensive reference covers the entire history, culture, and tribal locations of the Indian peoples of the United States, Canada, and Central America, from prehistoric times to the present... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0871968509
• ISBN13: 9780871968500
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Facts on File
• Length: 276 Pages
• Weight: 2.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 8.8" x 11.3"

Customer Reviews

About this total order. No free book seen on order receipt....was to get one free.

Please point out the free book I am supposed to be receiving on this receipt. I see book price listed for each book. None state free. I appreciate your help.

A complete and useful guide

A good resource for any student entering the field of North American Indian studies, this book is carefully organised and rendered. Waldman traces the many facets that have been used to explain who the North American Indians were, how they lived and where. The text is clear and direct, well-suited to the novice in this area of study. The wealth of maps and other illustrative material well supports the narrative, although space restrictions force a certain level of clutter at times. Waldman opens the book with a description of how humans arrived in the Western Hemisphere. The "Ancient Civilizations" of Mesoamerica, such as the Olmec and Maya are well summarised, before the author turns to the Southwest peoples - the Anasazi, Hohokan and Salado communities. He explains the often overlooked or poorly considered Moundbuilders of the Lower Midwest. The section on "Indian Lifeways" turns to areas like California, the Pacific Coast, and Subarcic regions. While these peoples didn't achieve the strongly hierarchical civilisations of Mesoamerica, their various social structures were complex and dynamic. Their economic systems allowed them to endure and they adapted well to change, something too often lacking in Mesoamerica. To a limited extent, the geography and environment hosting these people granted them the flexibility to maintain a dynamic society, even in precarious conditions. One aspect of life they were poorly prepared for was the European intrusion. Waldman sets aside a section to introduce the problems introduced by European colonisation. The litany of wars and rebellions take up a hundred pages of the text. The accompanying maps showing battle sites sparkle with stars indicating clash sites. Some of these wars have almost disappeared from historical accounts of North American settlement. It's a good reminder of how the whites took over the hemisphere and what cost that hegemony extracted from the native population. In time, war was replaced by "Land Cessions" and resettlement. The reservation system, never a fixed idea, is carefully explained by Waldman. The modern result of reservation communities and the ambivalent policies surrounding both the settlements and their populations gave rise to a new awareness among Indian people. The poor acknowledgement of Indian contributions in two world wars was but one of many irritants leading to "uprisings" at Wounded Knee and elsewhere. The author goes on to list major Indian government agencies and Indian organisations and facilities. Indian place names, often overlooked, are listed, with the modern "nation" structures for the US and Canada provided. In all, this book will be a firm base from which to expand a study of Indian circumstances for the future. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I love this book! More than just an Atlas!

They weren't joking when they said this was an exhaustive book, information wise. It's incredible! Not only do you have maps of everything from migrations of tribes to peyote usage, you also have chapter after chapter of the different cultural groups, full of details about daily life, wars, conflicts with the white settlers, etc. I use mine for reference--it's an amazing book. Get it!

Great for classroom use - a real bargain

It's actually hard, finding good books on American Indian topics that work in the classroom (I teach at a medium-sized public university). There are plenty of out-of-date books. Lots of terrible "pc" books. But few that actually convey information in an attractive and interesting fashion. This is definitely one of the latter type. The maps are clear, the illustrations accurate, and the amount of information presented is surprising. There's a tremendous amount of material packed between the covers of the "Atlas"---and it's a good deal more than a collection of maps. This is one of those books that some students---especially those planning on becoming teachers---may actually decide to keep. My own copy is well-worn from use, and often consult it to clear up questions both large and small. The best comprehensive source I've seen for this kind of money.

Excellent reference work on North American Indian Nations

I bought this book because I needed to have a clearer geographical picture on the North American Indian Nations covered by "500 Nations" (the TV-series and the CD-ROM). What I got is a lot more than I expected! The title "Atlas..." is truly an understatement! This book covers the geography, the social and historical issues involved in the genesis and evolution of these Great Nations!If you're looking for a very extensive reference work on the North American Indian Nations, buy this book!