A critical reassessment of prior anthropological research on the Shoshone-Bannock is presented. Four problems that have distorted our understanding of recent Shoshone-Bannock culture and history are identified and described. Following a thorough examination of these problems the adoption of several propositions to guide further research on the Shoshone-Bannock is proposed. These propositions encourage considerable reassessment of the Shoshone-Bannock regarding arrival, social organization, subsistence, territory, cultural separateness, and the interconnection of this group with Plateau, Great Basin, and Plains groups.

The Shoshones are an incredibly diverse group of Native Americans with a complex history. In this valuable resources, readers discover the events in both the past and present that have had a major impact on the Shoshone Nation—from battles against the Mormons to protests against nuclear testing on their lands. The rich culture of the Shoshones is also explored, including their language, rituals, and myths. Historical and contemporary images accompany stories of the people and places that are vital to understanding the Shoshones and their way of life.

The Shoshone have a long and varied history. Their members were among the first bands of Native Americans to welcome the Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 1800s. One of the most famous Native American women, a Shoshone named Sacagawea, became instrumental and invaluable to this particular expedition. Over the centuries that followed, the Shoshone endured many hardships. However, they have persevered and continue to have a presence today. This is the story of the Shoshone, from their beginnings to the modern day.

Even in the face of internal disputes between cattlemen and hay cutters, the people of Fort Hall found innovative ways - such as participation in new religious experiences, cultural redefinition, and regular community gatherings - to manage the contradictions that stemmed from market integration. Heaton tells how the Shoshone-Bannocks made a meaningful choice between productive commerce and a more typical reliance on subsistence and wage labor. Their leaders found new ways to unite disparate bands and kin groups to resist attempts to open reservation land to exploitation by non-Indians, and through careful land cessions they were able to obtain the capital needed to develop reservation resources themselves.