Indian Givers : How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World

" As entertaining as it is thoughtful....Few contemporary writers have Weatherford's talent for making the deep sweep of history seem vital and immediate." THE WASHINGTON POST After 500 years, the world's huge debt to the wisdom of the Indians of the Americas has finally been explored in all its vivid drama by anthropologist Jack Weatherford. He traces the crucial contributions made by the Indians to our federal system of government, our democratic institutions, modern medicine, agriculture, architecture, and ecology, and in this astonishing, ground-breaking book takes a giant step toward recovering a true American history. "After 500 years, the world's huge debt to the wisdom of the Indians of the Americas has finally been explored. In 'Indian Givers, ' anthropologist Jack Weatherford tells the utterly compelling story of how the cultural, social, and political practices of the Indians have transformed the way life is lived throughout the world. In vividly dramatic chapters, Weatherford traces the crucial contributions made by the Indians to our federal system of government, our democratic institutions, modern medicine, agriculture, architecture, and ecology. The Indians set a sophisticated urban tading economy in motion when they unearthed undreamed-of quantities of gold and silver. And foods discovered by the Indians, such as potatoes, chocolate, and chilies, revolutionized the cuisines of Europe and Asia-- in fact, some 60 percent of the foods eaten in the world today were first harvested by the Indians of the Americas." An utterly compelling story of how the cultural, social, and political practices of Native Americans transformed the way life is lived throughout the world, with a new introduction by the author “As entertaining as it is thoughtful... Few contemporary writers have Weatherford's talent for making the deep sweep of history seem vital and immediate.”—The Washington PostAfter 500 years, the world's huge debt to the wisdom of the Native Americans has finally been explored in all its vivid drama by anthropologist Jack Weatherford. He traces the crucial contributions made by the Native Americans to our federal system of government, our democratic institutions, modern medicine, agriculture, architecture, and ecology, and in this astonishing, ground-breaking book takes a giant step toward recovering a true American history. Resource Added For The Psychology (includes Sociology) 108091 Courses. Acknowledgments -- 1. Silver And Money Capitalism -- 2. Piracy, Slavery, And The Birth Of Corporations -- 3. The American Indian Path To Industrialization -- 4. The Food Revolution -- 5. Indian Agricultural Technology -- 6. The Culinary Revolution -- 7. Liberty, Anarchism, And The Noble Savage -- 8. The Founding Indian Fathers -- 9. Red Sticks And Revolution -- 10. The Indian Healer -- 11. The Drug Connection -- 12. Architecture And Urban Planning -- 13. The Pathfinders -- 14. When Will America Be Discovered? -- References -- Index. Jack Weatherford. Reprint. Originally Published: New York, N.y. : Crown Publishers, 1988. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 257-266) And Index. "As entertaining as it is thoughtful....Few contemporary writers have Weatherford's talent for making the deep sweep of history seem vital and immediate."THE WASHINGTON POSTAfter 500 years, the world's huge debt to the wisdom of the Indians of the Americas has finally been explored in all its vivid drama by anthropologist Jack Weatherford. He traces the crucial contributions made by the Indians to our federal system of government, our democratic institutions, modern medicine, agriculture, architecture, and ecology, and in this astonishing, ground-breaking book takes a giant step toward recovering a true American history.From the Trade Paperback edition. "Beloved author Jack Weatherford's classic work is now available with a new introduction by the author. 'Indian Givers' is the utterly compelling story of how the cultural, social, and political practices of Native Americans transformed the way life is lived throughout the world."--P.[4] of cover. Each morning at five-thirty, Rodrigo Cespedes eats two rolls and drinks a cup of tea heavily laced with sugar before he slings his ratty Adidas gym bag over his shoulder and leaves for work. American Indian impact on Western civilization, including economic conditions, agriculture, diet, political thought, medicine, drug use, architecture, and urban planning