Introduction
Indigenous people formed the basis of our country. They are critical in telling the narrative of our history and have established the foundation for understanding identity. Indigenous groups are great examples of freedom and movement across the Transatlantic World as both concepts were greatly affected by the introduction of Europeans into their native areas. This project will examine three tribes of indigenous people across the Transatlantic World and will uncover the common themes of the effects of European influence on these peoples.
Who Were They?
Taino
The Taino were an Arawak people who resided in the northeastern Caribbean and Florida. They were the principal inhabitants of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, which is known as the Greater Antilles. They had a complex and highly ceremonial culture including a universal language and a system of ceremonial dances {1}. Despite this, the group did not have a written language or an advanced system of counting. They were governed by a village-based theocracy and had a three tiered class structure {1}.
Iroquois
The Iroquois people consisted of several smaller nations who resided in the Great Lakes Region specifically in upstate New York. Each of these nations were divided up into matrilineal clans. They called themselves Haudenosaunee, or “People of the Longhouse” because they lived in longhouses, which were rectangular multi-family dwellings made of elm bark. These longhouses were the center of Iroquois life {2}. The tribe focused on farming, hunting and fishing for their source of food. The society was matrilineal, and women were very important in the tribe as they were believed to be linked to the Earth’s power to create life and determined how the food was distributed {2}.
Crow
The Crow people were a nomadic tribe best known for being fierce warriors and buffalo hunters. They lived in hide-covered tepees and followed the movements of the buffalo across the Plains region. The Crow name comes from the tribal name Apsáalooke, which means "bird people." In their early history, they were part of the Hidatsa tribe. They currently reside in the Yellowstone River Valley, specifically in Montana and Wyoming {3}.
Timeline
ACCessible timeline
Sources
{1} "Taino." In International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, edited by William A. Darity, Jr., 2, no. 8 (2008): 260-261. Detroit, MI: Macmillan Reference USA. Gale In Context: U.S. History Accessed November 19, 2019. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3045302687/UHIC?u=butleru&sid=UHIC&xid=6fa400e9.
{2} "Iroquois." In International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd ed., edited by William A. Darity, Jr., 151-152. Vol. 4. Detroit, MI: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. Gale In Context: U.S. History. Accessed November 17, 2019. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3045301192/UHIC?u=butleru&sid=UHIC&xid=022d8dca.
{3} "Crow." In Southeast, Great Plains, 3rd ed., edited by Laurie J. Edwards, 751-768. Vol. 2 of UXL Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes. Detroit, MI: UXL, 2012. Gale In Context: U.S. History (accessed November 17, 2019). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX4019400058/UHIC?u=butleru&sid=UHIC&xid=6ef8c0a5.
{2} "Iroquois." In International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd ed., edited by William A. Darity, Jr., 151-152. Vol. 4. Detroit, MI: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. Gale In Context: U.S. History. Accessed November 17, 2019. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3045301192/UHIC?u=butleru&sid=UHIC&xid=022d8dca.
{3} "Crow." In Southeast, Great Plains, 3rd ed., edited by Laurie J. Edwards, 751-768. Vol. 2 of UXL Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes. Detroit, MI: UXL, 2012. Gale In Context: U.S. History (accessed November 17, 2019). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX4019400058/UHIC?u=butleru&sid=UHIC&xid=6ef8c0a5.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE TRANSATLANTIC WORLD
Created by Clark, McGannon, Andrew, Bates and Fulton - CC 2019