The Great Encounter: Native Peoples and European Settlers in the Americas, 1492-1800

by Jayme A. Sokolow

Overview

Traditional histories of North and South America often leave the impression that Native American peoples had little impact on the colonies and empires established by Europeans after 1492. This groundbreaking study, which spans more than 300 years, demonstrates the agency of indigenous peoples in forging their own history and that of the Western Hemisphere. By putting the story of the indigenous peoples and their encounters with Europeans at the center, a new history of the "New World" emerges in which the Native Americans become vibrant and vitally important components of the British, French, Spanish, and Portuguese empires. In fact, their presence was the single most important factor in the development of the colonial world. By discussing the "great encounter" of peoples and cultures, this book provides a valuable, new perspective on the history of the Americas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781315498676
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/08/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	310
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Jayme A. Sokolow

Table of Contents

Introduction; Chapter 1 Before the Wig and the Dress Coat; Chapter 2 Toward a New World Order; Chapter 3 Suffering a Great Misery; Chapter 4 Rage Without Reason; Chapter 5 Black Rainbows and Sinister Hailstorms; Chapter 6 License My Roving Hands; Chapter 7 Unacquainted with the Laws of the Civilized World; Chapter 8 Beware of the Long Knives; Chapter 9 After Columbus;

Editorial Reviews

In his ambitious title, Sokolow (An American Utopia) aims to demonstrate the important role of native peoples in shaping the way of life that emerged in the Americas following the arrival of Europeans. At the same time, he also attempts to show the influence of Native Americans on the political, economic, and social cultures of the French, British, Spanish, and Portuguese empires. If that isn't enough, Sokolow also tries to draw connections from the colonial era to the problems facing Native Americans today. With such a large agenda, it is no surprise that the author fails to deliver. The strengths of this work are the vignettes that focus on specific events, thereby casting light on the interrelationship between Natives and Europeans. Unfortunately, these episodes do not fit well into an integrated narrative because the author fails to recognize that the experiences of those natives who came in contact with the Spanish or Portuguese differed significantly from those who encountered the French or British; one cannot make generalizations applying to the entire hemisphere. Appropriate for academic libraries with comprehensive Native American studies collections.-John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal