Describes the lives and achievements of American Indians and discusses their contributions to the world.

Discusses Native American technology and science, including tools, physics, mining, chemistry, mathematics, and engineering.

Describes the practices and discoveries made by American Indians in science and technology, including their use of latex to waterproof clothing and their use of geometry to create buildings.

Praise for the previous edition:"...a comprehensive, unique, A-to-Z reference to the vast offerings made by the American Indians throughtout history."

Describes the practices and discoveries made by American Indians in medicine and health, including their use of herbal remedies for insect bites and storytelling to ease depression.

Provides the first broad survey of Native American contributions during the war, examining how military service led to hightened expectations for changes in federal Indian policy and their standard of living.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY: A CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF ITS PLACE ON THE WORLD STAGE. Native American History is a breakthrough reference guide, the first book of its kind to recognize and explore the rich, unfolding experiences of the indigenous American peoples as they evolved against a global backdrop. This fascinating historical narrative, presented in an illuminating and thought-provoking time-line format, sheds light on such events as: * The construction of pyramids--not only on the banks of the Nile but also on the banks of the Mississippi * The development of agriculture in both Mesopotamia and Mexico * The European discovery of a continent already inhabited by some 50 million people * The Native American influence on the ideas of the European Renaissance * The unacknowledged advancements in science and medicine created by the civilizations of the new world * Western Expansion and its impact on Native American land and traditions * The key contributions Native Americans brought to the Allied victory of World War II And much more! This invaluable history takes an important first step toward a true understanding of the depth, breadth, and scope of a long-neglected aspect of our heritage.

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 Post After 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.