Native American History: A Chronology of a Culture's Vast Achievements and Their Links to World Events [Paperback]

Judith Nies (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 3, 1996

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up. Intended to place the history of Native North American cultures into the context of world affairs, this book uses a split-page format, listing, side by side, benchmarks in both areas between 28,000 B.C. and late 1996. The juxtapositions point up a few intriguing parallels, such as the presence of pyramids on both sides of the Atlantic, but are in general more effective as a tool for helping students of history to think globally, and as a graphic way to link contemporaneous events on different continents. Nies lists incidents by year, not specifying exact days or months, focusing only on the indigenous cultures of Mexico and the continental U.S. (mentioning Captain Cook, for instance, only in connection with his claims on the Pacific Northwest) and is very selective of "outside" happenings?so much so that the "World History" column is occasionally blank for a page or more. On the other hand, the author's political, social, religious, and military analyses are lucid and specific, and she breaks the limitations of the format for longer boxed essays when necessary. Several maps and plenty of dark but revealing black-and-white photos enhance this eye-opening survey. A good choice for collections needing an economical alternative to A Chronology of Native North American History (Gale, 1994).?John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

This book is a great resource for students and history buffs alike. It stands out from other books of its kind for several reasons:

First, it's a lot more accessible than lengthy historical 'tomes' that take hours to search through just to find a quick fact or piece of information. Because of the chronological way that it's organized and the concise, yet information-packed entries, it's easy to find exactly what you're looking for right off the bat.

Second, this book puts Native American history in context with other key events going on in the world, which gives the reader perspective on how events on both sides of the Atlantic influenced each other.

Lastly, it's totally comprehensive in scope. Whereas many books treat the subject with an ethnocentric approach and only cover events taking place after the Europeans set foot on American soil, this one goes all the way back to the very origins of these indigenous people around 28,000 B.C.--- truly ancient history! And it also covers events right up to modern times, highlighting the issues and concerns faced by today's Native Americans.

-------J. Rendon, Editorial Assistant

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (December 3, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345393503
• ISBN-13: 978-0345393500
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > Education & Reference > Education > Research

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Should be required reading, March 28, 2000

By 

James Yanni (Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Native American History: A Chronology of a Culture's Vast Achievements and Their Links to World Events (Paperback)

This book should be required reading, at least for any member of the government who has dealings with Native Americans, if not for every American History class in the country. It is a bit dry stylistically, which is all that keeps it from five stars, but it contains an amazing wealth of information that balances out the general viewpoint of American history as it is taught in public schools. It should be considered an invaluable asset in any attempt to present a balanced perspective on our country's history. Ignoring the criminally dishonorable way in which those of European descent have treated the Natives will NOT make it go away, nor even lessen the karmic debt. Only by learning about and acknowledging the truth can we even BEGIN to decide what steps need to be taken now and in the future.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars objective, November 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Native American History: A Chronology of a Culture's Vast Achievements and Their Links to World Events (Paperback)

Judith Nies presents an excellent overview of both native american and european events as they parallel and eventually coincide with one another. Until reading her book, I was unaware of the extent of the brutality of the hispanic history towards the natives of all the areas of the americas; their responsibility for the genocide of millions of natives through a combination of enslavement, warfare and disease, creating a world where the natives preferred to kill their children and commit suicide rather than to continue to live. This is followed by a second tragedy, the establishment of the african slave trade to replace what they destroyed. Perhaps what is most effective in her writing is the objective and factual presentation of a complete history, free of personal or cultural bias. Recommended reading for anyone.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great referrence book, July 16, 2000

By 

justin c. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Native American History: A Chronology of a Culture's Vast Achievements and Their Links to World Events (Paperback)

like the title says, it's a great referrence book for those who wish for a brief overview of native history in the present-day united states as well as much of mesoamerica. good starting off point for further investigation. the great thing about the book is that it not only is a chronology of native events (which appear on the right side of a page), it also displays many significant events throughout the world (which appear on the left side of a page) so the reader may gain a greater perspective. also includes short articles thrown in for good measure and to expand a bit on topics such as the iroquois influence on the u.s. constitution, to tenochtitlan (present-day mexico city, site of ancient aztec capital), as well as brief introductions to certain time periods. not a thorough examination, but a nice listing of significant events in native history. recommended nonetheless.