This Is A New Release Of The Original 1775 Edition.

Bernard Romans's A Concise Natural History of East and West Florida, William Bartram's Travels, and James Adair's History of the American Indian are the three most significant accounts of the southeastern United States published during the late 18th century. This new edition of Romans's Concise Natural History, edited by historian Kathryn Braund, provides the first fully annotated edition of this early and rare description of both the European settled areas and the adjoining Indian lands in what are now the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Romans's purpose in producing his Concise Natural History was twofold: to aid navigators and shippers by detailing the sailing passages of the region and to promote trade and settlement in the region. To those ends, he provided detailed scientific observations on the natural history of the area, a summary of the region's political history, and an assessment of the potential for economic growth in the Floridas based on the area's natural resources. A trained surveyor and cartographer and a self-taught naturalist, Romans supplied detailed descriptions of the region's topography and environment, including information about the climate and weather patterns, plants, animals, and diseases. He provided information about the state of scientific inquiry in the South and touched on many of the most important intellectual arguments of the day, such as the origin of the races, the practice of slavery, and the benefits and drawbacks of monopoly on trade. In addition, Concise Natural History can be placed firmly in the genre of colonial promotional literature. Romans's book was an enthusiastic guide aimed at those seeking to establish modest holdings in the region: "What a field is open here! . . . No country ever had such inexhaustible resources; no empire had ever half so many advantages combining in its behalf!" Romans explained how settlers should travel to the area, what they would need in terms of provisions and tools, and what it would cost to have their land surveyed. In addition to providing an abundance of practical advice, Romans also offered information about the history of earlier settlements, including the earliest and most complete account of New Smyrna near St. Augustine. Romans also presented unique information about the various Indian tribes he encountered. In fact, historians agree that among the most useful portions of the book are Romans's descriptions of the largest Indian tribes in the 18th-century Southeast: the Creeks, Choctaws, and Chickasaws. Romans's account of the diet of the Creeks and Choctaws is one of the most complete available. And his description of the location of Choctaw village sites is one of the best sources for this information.

Covering everything from Acadians to Yellow Fever, Bernard Romans exhaustively addressed daily life in Florida and minutely described its natural features-but he also did much more. He was copious in conveying the manners and customs of the native Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek Indians, including, despite their bad traits, one common outstanding virtue: hospitality. Romans also notes the habits and character of the colonists and comments on the prevalence of drinking. By focusing his attention on even the most minute detail, Romans has given us a fascinating, true account of early Florida. According to the Library of Congress, the variety of natural, aboriginal, historic, and miscellaneous information which [the book] graphically gives is far more original than a great many pioneer histories. Originally published in 1775, this rare work was first reprinted by Pelican in 1961.

This important but little-known account of several southwestern tribes has heretofore been available only in the author's native Dutch. Ten Kate's studies of the Pima, Hopi, Apache, and Zuni people are especially noteworthy for their information on tribal cultures. He observed firsthand and sought out informants willing to elaborate on Indian games and sports and on social organization and myths of religious significance. He was particularly interested in the position of women and treatment of children and admired the natives' attitudes on these matters more than did other early anthropologists. His best material is from his extended stay at Zuni, where he and Frank Hamilton Cushing became lifelong friends. His observations on the impact of whites on Indian cultures constitute valuable documentation of the dilution of native life-styles. Although he is not as well known as contemporaries like Bandelier, Bourke, and Matthews, ten Kate's work remains influential in the field after more than 120 years.

"Growing out of a conference hosted by the Libiary of Congress, this collection of bibliographic essays covers the historical legacy of Spain in North America from the first sighting of the continent by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1512 to today, when Hispanics comprise the fastest growing minority community in the United States. Written by experts on Hispanic manuscripts and collections, the essays focus on a discussion of archival sources available for the study of Spanish conquest and colonization in what is now the United States, the lands that the Spanish referred to as La Florida and Tierra Incognita del Norte." "The first part addresses questions of managing documentation and identifying sources of archival materials throughout the United States and Spain. Other parts, on research and projects, describe new ways that scholars have used available information to portray the Hispanic experience in North America. Subsequent chapters describe technological advancements that are making archival materials available in a variety of formats. The volume concludes with the recommendation that the United States produce a comprehensive guide to archives and collections for the study of the Hispanic experience in the United States." "The controversy over the significance of the Columbian voyages, particularly as we celebrate their quincentenary, makes this volume an essential tool for those interested in the history of North America's conquest, those studying the Hispanic experience in the New World, and those wishing to examine their own heritage."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved