1491 by Charles C. Mann

I saw this on a syllabus of required reading for another AP US History course and thought "we need this". It's been one of my goals to further develop our American Indian materials collection, so I'm very glad we were able to get it.  Of course, I snagged it as soon as it came in.  This will be shelved in our pull-out American Indian section.

Being part Penobscot, I'm fascinated by the pre-Columbus history of America.  From Viking exploration to possible Knights Templar visits to American Indian societies, I love to read (and watch History Channel shows) on the topics.  That being said, this is a high reading level book with much research and statistical analyses.  It is not a read in one night type book.

With cultures so diverse, it seems rather ridiculous to lump them all together--much as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Guatemalan are somehow collectively known as Latina.  The 1950s TV stereotypical Indian just doesn't exist.  As a result, it's impossible to cover every existing culture in 1491 in just one book.  Like my efforts when teaching A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, Mann chose a few groups to show the cultural, political, agricultural, and societal differences between the groups themselves and our preconceived notions.*

*For those reading this blog and not of the CT area, for many of my students, that preconceived notion is glittery, glassy hotels filled with neon slot machines...

One misconception that continues in textbooks and classrooms is the trade system between the native peoples of what would later be known as New England and their European visitors.  Portrayed as simplistic, in reality, tribes such as the Wampanoag were shrewd businessmen.  "Over time, the Wampanoag, like other native societies in coastal New England, had learned to manage the European presence.  They encouraged the exchange of goods, but would only allow their visitors to stay ashore for brief, carefully controlled excursions...At the same time, the Wampanoag fended off Indians from the interior, preventing them from trading with the foreigners.  In this way, shoreline groups put themselves in the position of classic middlemen" (36)

I hope Mr. Backman and the AP US History students will find use for this book, and that its message reaches many.  Just like the Pequot Museum teaches, it is time for real history!

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS

Tweet what you're reading #whhs #summerreading

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.