Plains Of The Great West

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XLT7. CONCLUSION'. The plains Indian, while not so degraded as many other tribes and people of this and the older continent, is as thoroughly savage as any. His religion inculcates neither obligation nor duty either to God or man. His education teaches no morality. His social life is scarcely a remove from that of the beasts of the field. Ilis idea of right is the execution of his own will; of wrong, the enforcement of another will in opposition to his. But, however savage he may be, it is worth while to reflect that the ancestors of the most enlightened nations were at some time in the world's history as savage as he is now. Our growth has been the slow development of ages upon ages. It is hardly fair to expect him, even with superior advantages, to change his nature in two or three generations. He has, moreover, never had a fair chance. His advantages, knowledge of and contact with civilisation, are rather apparent than real. The fur trade of North America has founded and built up some of the most colossal fortunes in England, France, and America. The larger portion of this trade comes from the Indian. Its profits, even with the legitimate traffic, were and still are enormous; and, when advantage is taken of his passion for finery and fire water, these already enormous profits are so far increased that sharp and unscrupulous competition is not to be wondered at. The nature of the direct trade, the small capital required, and its position outside of the jurisdiction of the law, attract to it the very worst class of whites, who communicate to the Indian all the most glaring vices, and none of the good qualities, of civilisation. That the Indian at this day is the cruel, inhuman savage that he is, is partially the fault of the...

Originally published in 1877, this book provides a comprehensive account of the Great Plains region of the United States, including its geology, flora and fauna, and the various tribes of Native Americans who lived there. Dodge's firsthand observations and vivid descriptions make this a must-read for anyone interested in the history and ecology of the American West. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

National Bestseller Most travelers only fly over the Great Plains--but Ian Frazier, ever the intrepid and wide-eyed wanderer, is not your average traveler. A hilarious and fascinating look at the great middle of our nation. With his unique blend of intrepidity, tongue-in-cheek humor, and wide-eyed wonder, Ian Frazier takes us on a journey of more than 25,000 miles up and down and across the vast and myth-inspiring Great Plains. A travelogue, a work of scholarship, and a western adventure, Great Plains takes us from the site of Sitting Bull's cabin, to an abandoned house once terrorized by Bonnie and Clyde, to the scene of the murders chronicled in Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. It is an expedition that reveals the heart of the American West.

The near disappearance of the American bison in the nineteenth century is commonly understood to be the result of over-hunting, capitalist greed, and all but genocidal military policy. This interpretation remains seductive because of its simplicity; there are villains and victims in this familiar cautionary tale of the American frontier. But as this volume of groundbreaking scholarship shows, the story of the bison’s demise is actually quite nuanced. Bison and People on the North American Great Plains brings together voices from several disciplines to offer new insights on the relationship between humans and animals that approached extinction. The essays here transcend the border between the United States and Canada to provide a continental context. Contributors include historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, paleontologists, and Native American perspectives. This book explores the deep past and examines the latest knowledge on bison anatomy and physiology, how bison responded to climate change (especially drought), and early bison hunters and pre-contact trade. It also focuses on the era of European contact, in particular the arrival of the horse, and some of the first known instances of over-hunting. By the nineteenth century bison reached a “tipping point” as a result of new tanning practices, an early attempt at protective legislation, and ventures to introducing cattle as a replacement stock. The book concludes with a Lakota perspective featuring new ethnohistorical research. Bison and People on the North American Great Plains is a major contribution to environmental history, western history, and the growing field of transnational history.