Call them Native Americans, American Indians, indigenous peoples, or first nations — a vast and diverse array of nations, tribes, and cultures populated every corner of North America long before Columbus arrived. Native American History For Dummies reveals what is known about their pre-Columbian history and shows how their presence, customs, and beliefs influenced everything that was to follow. This straightforward guide breaks down their ten-thousand-plus year history and explores their influence on European settlement of the continent. You'll gain fresh insight into the major tribal nations, their cultures and traditions, warfare and famous battles; and the lives of such icons as Pocahontas, Sitting Bull and Sacagawea. You'll discover: How and when the Native American's ancestors reached the continent How tribes formed and where they migrated What North America was like before 1492 How Native peoples maximized their environment Pre-Columbian farmers, fishermen, hunters, and traders The impact of Spain and France on the New World Great Warriors from Tecumseh to Geronimo How Native American cultures differed across the continent Native American religions and religious practices The stunning impact of disease on American Indian populations Modern movements to reclaim Native identity Great museums, books, and films about Native Americans Packed with fascinating facts about functional and ceremonial clothing, homes and shelters, boatbuilding, hunting, agriculture, mythology, intertribal relations, and more, Native American History For Dummies provides a dazzling and informative introduction to North America's first inhabitants.

Written by distinguished plains archaeologist Larry J. Zimmerman, this richly illustrated text is an introduction to the life, myth, and art of the indigenous peoples of the United States and Canada. The author ably conveys the profound appreciation the native North Americans had—and continue to have—of life, death, and the cosmos, and the interconnectedness of all things material and spiritual.

This book is a comprehensive overview of the history and culture of the peoples who are now known as the First Americans. Author Walter C. Fleming covers the many different tribes that stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific, including compelling biographies of their greatest leaders. He examines the beliefs, customs, legends and the myriad contributions Native Americans have given to modern society, and details the often tragic history of their conquest by European invaders, their treatment-both historical and recent-under the U.S. government, and the harsh reality of life on today's reservations.

A chronicle of American indigenous life, this guide captures the history of the complex societies that lived in North America when European explorers first appeared on the continent. Not only a history of tribal nations, this exploration also includes profiles of famous Native Americans and their many contributions--from early leaders to superstar athletes, dancers, astronauts, authors, and actors. Readers will learn about Indian culture through hands-on activities, such as planting a Three Sisters Garden, making beef jerky in a low-temperature oven, weaving a basket out of folded newspaper strips, deciphering a World War II Navajo Code Talker message, and playing Ball-and-Triangle. An important look at life before the settlers until present day, this resource shows that Native American history is the history of all Americans.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY: A CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF ITS PLACE ON THE WORLD STAGE. Native American History is a breakthrough reference guide, the first book of its kind to recognize and explore the rich, unfolding experiences of the indigenous American peoples as they evolved against a global backdrop. This fascinating historical narrative, presented in an illuminating and thought-provoking time-line format, sheds light on such events as: * The construction of pyramids--not only on the banks of the Nile but also on the banks of the Mississippi * The development of agriculture in both Mesopotamia and Mexico * The European discovery of a continent already inhabited by some 50 million people * The Native American influence on the ideas of the European Renaissance * The unacknowledged advancements in science and medicine created by the civilizations of the new world * Western Expansion and its impact on Native American land and traditions * The key contributions Native Americans brought to the Allied victory of World War II And much more! This invaluable history takes an important first step toward a true understanding of the depth, breadth, and scope of a long-neglected aspect of our heritage.

Discusses the prehistoric peoples who occupied the Americas, describing the civilizations of such advanced cultures as the Iroquois, Cherokee, and the Zuni, and the technical achievements of various other Native American groups.

"Seven Myths of Native American History will provide undergraduates and general readers with a very useful introduction to Native America past and present. Jentz identifies the origins and remarkable staying power of these myths at the same time he exposes and dismantles them." —Colin G. Calloway, Dartmouth College