Native American Cultures example essay topic

The continent of North America was home to many Native American societies long before the arrival of the first Europeans. For thousands of years they lived in isolation influenced only by the geographic diversity of their natural environment. They learned to adapt to the characteristics of the region they inhabited obtaining the necessities for survival. By the time the first Europeans arrived they found a diverse population of Native Americans, some with "highly sophisticated and complex civilizations". 1 Native American societies ranged "from small bands of hunter-gatherers and farmers to well-organized states", 2 depending upon their geographic location. Prior to European colonization it is believed that there were several hundred nations and tribes in the area of the lower 48 states, each with their own language and customs.

The nations or societies could consist of several different tribes each made up of various clans. Clans normally consisted of family membership or kin groups who believed they descended from a common ancestor that possessed characteristics of a particular animal. 3 Kinship was the most important factor in every Indian social group and served to bind societies together. It could consist of the family; aunts, uncles and cousins, or the tribe, village and clan. This led to extensive family connections and complex social obligations within each tribe. Unlike European societies that were patrilineal, meaning they traced their descent through the father's line, Native American cultures consisted of both patrilineal and matrilineal.

Many of the larger Indian nations were matrilineal with descent following the mother's line. Women in Native American cultures were treated quite different than their European counterparts. Within many tribes, they actively participated in council meetings, selection of tribal leaders, assisted in decisions of warfare and many other matters that affected the tribe. Tribal leaders were selected from the men of the tribe but women had the power to remove them if they became dissatisfied. In agricultural societies women produced most of the food supply for the tribe thus affording them a higher level of respect than in European societies. Men were responsible for hunting, fishing, trading, negotiating, and fighting.

In some societies the Tribal leaders (men) had the option of taking more than one wife. Marital customs varied from each tribe but the majority of cultures allowed teens to marry. Marriage was not necessarily considered a permanent relationship as it was in European societies. For example, a pueblo woman of the Southwest "could end her marriage by tossing her husbands belongings out the door and sending him back to his kinfolk". 5 Divorce was not looked down upon or considered a threat to Native American societies. Marriages could be dissolved or ended, kinship was forever!

Religion was of great importance to all Native Americans and was based on the notion that all of nature was alive possessing spiritual power. This included the earth, sky, sea, grass, and animals. They believed this force could affect human life for good and evil. As a result they would pray to the spirits of animals they were going to hunt and killed only what they needed to sustain themselves. Native American cultures and religions were intertwined with nature; Mother Earth and Father Sky represented the Indians' very being. They also believed the land belonged to everyone and everything, it was home to all.

Individual land ownership did not exist. Tribes could clear as much land as they needed for farming and this would remain in their possession as long as needed. Once the tribe moved on, the land was open for others to cultivate. 6 Native Americans lived with and as a part of nature respecting all living things and the spirits within them. This concept differed greatly from the European views and would eventually lead to many devastating confrontations between the two cultures.

As white colonists moved into this new world Shawnee Chief Tecumseh describes the Native American attitude: "The way, the only way to stop this evil is for the red men to unite in claiming a common and equal right in the land, as it was at first, and should be now -- for it was never divided, but belongs to all. No tribe has the right to sell, even to each other, much less to strangers. Sell a country! Why not sell the air, the great sea, as well as the earth?" 7 Long before the first European settlers came to America, Native Americans had developed an advanced economy. Through extensive trading networks they were able to gain knowledge and build strong bonds that would aid in their survival. Trade did improve their economy but it's greater benefit was the development and nurturing of relationships, it ensured goodwill with other tribes.

Native American cultures believed in a strong sense of order. Wrong doings were thought to disrupt the balance of nature. For example, if one tribe member killed another member the extended family of the perpetrator would offer a gift that the victim's family might consider appropriate. If accepted, the issue was settled, if not, the victim's kin could seek to avenge the killing. 8 Warfare among most Native Americans was a modest affair.

According to one New England colonist who had witnessed a battle; it was "more for pastime than to conquer and subdue enemies, they might fight 7 years and not kill 7 men". 9 Europeans began arriving in the New World prior to 1600. Their initial contact with the Native Americans was devastating as diseases such as small pox, pulmonary ailments, and gastrointestinal disorders wiped out entire tribes. Those that survived the initial contact were soon pushed out or exterminated through warfare so the "civilized" Europeans could lay claim to what the Native American cherished, Mother Earth.