American Indian Contributions to the World.

[Goatboy]

uuhhmmm.... i thought firearms were invented in china [gunpowder was introduced by the mongols to europe]- although the europeans took over at some stage in terms of perfectioning them.... . and iron was first smelted in mesopotamia; the first people who understood the iron production from ores [there earlier samples of meteoric iron being used] were the hittites [o.k. they were indoeuropean people ....]

Uuhhmmm, I thought the question was about items being introduced to the Americas!
But if you want to go down the rabbit hole then the Indian people are a relatively late addition to the continent and carried some things there from other places as well as discovering some things in place. There is evidence that they killed off/displaced the earlier first people to discover the continent who seem to of negroid extraction. They were either wiped out or pushed down to Tierra del Fuego.

But I'll not get picky. Sorry just having fun.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[boatman]

Boatman: other than SmallPox, what worldly contributions did the Europeans contribute?
The arrogance of many european explorers failed utterly to comprehend the design and construction skills
top manufacture goods that eurpoeans could not imagine.

Double entry book-keeping, economical and efficient steel making, The Calculus, translations between various languages so a Hindu could speak to a Cherokee if they wished, even by radio and so on. Funny that all those clever design and construction skills were discarded or adapted in view of the access made available by European trading and manufacturing processes and skills. Sorry for ending the piracy and slave-raiding amongst North-West Native Americans.

 

[santaman2000]

Double entry book-keeping, economical and efficient steel making, The Calculus, translations between various languages so a Hindu could speak to a Cherokee if they wished, even by radio and so on. Funny that all those clever design and construction skills were discarded or adapted in view of the access made available by European trading and manufacturing processes and skills. Sorry for ending the piracy and slave-raiding amongst North-West Native Americans.

So was the double entry book keeping supposed to be a "contribution" or a curse? The native societies (and even the native empires) here did well enough without that.

Translations between various languages? I think they were translating between their own various languages before Columbus.

Radio? Who's to say if they might have been the ones to discover radio if their development hadn't been interrupted?

Their design and building skills were "discarded" or adapted? Hardly. The native Americans taught the pilgrims those construction techniques to survive and thrive; not the other way around. The empires in Latin America had their designs raized by the Conquistadors, they never "discarded" or "adapted" them except by force.

 

[boatman]

Didn't they develop quite a clever sign language instead of translating. They had the same length of time as anywhere else to develop science and technology but hardly started. Double entry book-keeping can be said to have enabled the commercial take off of Europe. Mercantile history is fascinating and the foundation of European and later American domination. So the pilgrims lived in wickiups etc? Never knew that.

 

[sunndog]

Do the greek and roman empires count as europe as far as worldy contributions go?........i'm no historian but just those two mobs did invent/contribute quite bit
Or are we starting the clock from when columbus landed?

 

[Goatboy]

Though the Conquistadors ravaged Central America they did end up getting turffed out and the likes of Santa Anna fought & won a lot of battles. They called him the Napoleon of the West. Must admit that Mexican history isn't my strongpoint but they went on to hand out bloody noses for a while after that.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[santaman2000]

......So the pilgrims lived in wickiups etc? Never knew that.

Nope. They lived in log structures (just like the North eastern Indians taught them to build)

 

[santaman2000]

Didn't they develop quite a clever sign language instead of translating.....

They did both: sign language AND translating. Or did you think multi linguilism was only a European thing?

 

[santaman2000]

.....Double entry book-keeping can be said to have enabled the commercial take off of Europe.......

Yes. But what did it do for the American Indian?

 

[santaman2000]

Though the Conquistadors ravaged Central America they did end up getting turffed out and the likes of Santa Anna fought & won a lot of battles. They called him the Napoleon of the West. Must admit that Mexican history isn't my strongpoint but they went on to hand out bloody noses for a while after that.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

Santa Anna lived a century or more after the Conquistadors. The Conquistador period ended at the end of the 1600s and Santa Anna wasn't born until 1794. Mexico elected him as President 11 different times (non-consecutive) and removed him from office an equal number of times. He was indeed an interesting man.

 

[Goatboy]

Santa Anna lived a century or more after the Conquistadors. The Conquistador period ended at the end of the 1600s and Santa Anna wasn't born until 1794. Mexico elected him as President 11 different times (non-consecutive) and removed him from office an equal number of times. He was indeed an interesting man.

Aye I maybe wasn't being clear there. The Conquistidors were Spanish and it was the Spanish that were kicked out, the Conquistidor period was over though you're right and the Mexicans are Indians.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[boatman]

Yes. But what did it do for the American Indian?

Enabled them, like anybody else, who cared to keep proper accounts, draw up profit and loss accounts and in general conduct their business properly and profitably. And, enabled the commerce of the world from which they benefit.

 

[Goatboy]

Enabled them, like anybody else, who cared to keep proper accounts, draw up profit and loss accounts and in general conduct their business properly and profitably. And, enabled the commerce of the world from which they benefit.

But did they? Unlike some countries where the native folk are getting land and rights back the American Indians have been and continue to be more than short changed. Persecution and being treated as less than third class citizens is still the norm. For it being the land of the free it seems one has to be an incomer to be free. But I'm going to stop here as I'm in danger of breaching our no politics rules and I don't want to have to ban myself. So maybe we should get back to discussing the original topic of the benefits that they've bestowed upon us.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Dave]

I would have thought that just reading and writing was of far greater significance than double entry book keeping?

 

[sandbender]

I would have thought that just reading and writing was of far greater significance than double entry book keeping?

Mmm, yes I'd agree with that.

Wasn't double entry book keeping a middle eastern invention?

 

[mrcharly]

I think there is still debate about the extent of influence of the Iroquois Confederacy's political structure on the political structure of the USA. Some claim it had major influence, some only a little.

The concept of 'Counting coup' being placed higher than killing your enemy.

 

[boatman]

Wasn't double entry book keeping a middle eastern invention?

They had an early form but our system appears to come from Florence in the 13th century. Although I am surprised that an American hasn't tried to patent it as a "Business Process"

I didn't mention reading and writing because they had various versionss in some places in America. Inca knots to painting on skins.

 

[santaman2000]

Aye I maybe wasn't being clear there. The Conquistidors were Spanish and it was the Spanish that were kicked out, the Conquistidor period was over though you're right and the Mexicans are Indians.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

Mexicans are a mix of Spanish, African, and Indian. Generally more Spanish that the others, but not necessarily by much.

 

[santaman2000]

Enabled them, like anybody else, who cared to keep proper accounts, draw up profit and loss accounts and in general conduct their business properly and profitably. And, enabled the commerce of the world from which they benefit.

You mean their current reliance on casinos on the reservations?

But did they? Unlike some countries where the native folk are getting land and rights back the American Indians have been and continue to be more than short changed. Persecution and being treated as less than third class citizens is still the norm. For it being the land of the free it seems one has to be an incomer to be free......

A lot of truth to this one. Also some notable exceptions (particularly the tax exempt reservation casinos referenced above and claim to some federal benefits preferences) And currently there are approximately 52.6 million acres of reservation land.

 

[Adze]

Boatman: other than SmallPox, what worldly contributions did the Europeans contribute?

Found one! (among many)