Overview
This history of Native Americans, from the period of first contact to the present day, offers an important variation to existing studies by placing the lives and experiences of Native American communities at the center of the narrative.
- Presents an innovative approach to Native American history by placing individual native communities and their experiences at the center of the study
- Following a first chapter that deals with creation myths, the remainder of the narrative is structured chronologically, covering over 600 years from the point of first contact to the present day
- Illustrates the great diversity in American Indian culture and emphasizes the importance of Native Americans in the history of North America
- Provides an excellent survey for courses in Native American history
- Includes maps, photographs, a timeline, questions for discussion, and “A Closer Focus” textboxes that provide biographies of individuals and that elaborate on the text, exposing students to issues of race, class, and gender
Synopsis
Offering an important variation to existing studies, Native America: A Brief History places the lives and experiences of native communities at the center of the narrative. Chronologically organized and covering the period of first contact to the present day, Oberg focuses on 11 native communities in all parts of the United States, including the Mohegans, the Cherokee, the Powhatans, the Dakota Sioux, and the Pueblos, whose experiences encapsulate the principal themes and developments in Native American history. He describes the complex relationships they maintained with the colonial powers and, later, the United States and provides readers with an insight into the enormous diversity and varied experiences of Native Americans.
Written in a highly accessible style, Oberg provides an engaging and concise text that remains focused on Indian peoples and emphasizes their importance in the history of the United States.