American Indian Contributions to the World
4 total works
By the time European conquistadores and colonizers arrived in the Americas, starting in 1492, American Indians had already invented sophisticated hunting and fishing technology. They gathered hundreds of plants for food, fiber, and medicine, and first domesticated three-quarters of the food crops raised in the world today. Food, Farming, and Hunting covers the many contributions that American Indians have made throughout history, including the various tools used in hunting, such as bolas, bows and arrows, and camouflage, and the different methods of fishing for each culture. The volume identifies the many foods North American, Mesoamerican, and South American Indians gathered, discusses the birth of agriculture in the Americas, and describes the plants that were eventually domesticated and farmed. Later developments and improvements in farming, such as irrigation and the use of fertilizer, are also covered.
Trade, Transportation, and Warfare
by Emory Dean Keoke and Kay Marie Porterfield
Published 31 January 2005
Trade, Transportation, and Warfare examines the contributions American Indians made to these areas, with an emphasis on geography, economics, and social studies. The main question that this book answers is how Indians of the Americas were connected with others inside and outside of their culture group. Fascinating coverage of technology focuses on how American Indians used that technology - such as boat building and road making - to connect with others.
Science and Technology shows how American Indians developed science and created technology by observing the world around them. The people of Mesoamerica invented the zero, created accurate calendars, and developed writing systems. Native peoples used chemical processes to make chocolate and pottery, devised number systems, and predicted the movements of the stars and planets. Today a number of American Indians are entering careers as scientists, doctors, and engineers, carrying a rich heritage of curiosity, observation, and invention forward into the future.
Medicine and Health covers the many contributions American Indians made to the world in these areas. Early Native peoples learned which plants and animals provided them with the best nutrition. They invented treatments for their illnesses, performed operations on people - including brain surgery and skin grafts - and used antiseptics to prevent infection. In many ways, their medical and health practices were ahead of those of Europeans when settlers first came to the Americas. Ancient American Indian medical discoveries continue to save lives today.