Indians in Pennsylvania (Anthropological Studies, Number 5)

It is a well research and written book on the history of Native Americans in Pennsylvania before and after Columbus. It covers many areas and different topics especially on different tribes in terms of life cycle, religion, dress and others. Of particular interest is the Iroquois Confederacy which was a model for American federal system. The working order of the Great Council of Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca nations inspired a peaceful working order, truly made in America. Such model of peace set a good example for Leagues of Nations and United Nations. The Delaware woman had a relatively high and more respected position in the council affair with equal power to make decision, long before Nineteen Amendment, envied by the white female peers. The front and back covers are decorated with rock art and it will make the book complete if it covers this important subject.

This is a well researched and excellently presented book on Native American history within what today is Pennsylvania. The Lenni Lenape, which means Real/Original People, were the dominant Indian tribe in Pennsylvania. There were also known as the Delawares. They were found along the Delaware River and were kinship relations with the Monsee Minisink who resided around the Delaware Water Gap. Readers learn Pennsylvania Indians grew corn 3,000 years ago. They made arrowheads from flint and grew tobacco. Tobacco was used for enjoyment and in ceremonies. Tribes that existed in what is now the United States were much smaller than those that existed in what is now Mexico and Central America. The larger sized populations achieved greater development of tools and built homes, roads, and irrigation systems. They made cereals and had written communication. Pennsylvania Indians were considered peaceful amongst themselves, but could be brutal in war with other tribes. The Susquehannoncks, also known as the Minquas or Andaste, resided along the Susquehanna River. The Monogehela resided in southwestern Pennsylvania yet were no longer there when white people arrived. John Smith met with about sixty Susquehannocks in 1608. They wore bear and wolf skins. The Susquehannocks were more advanced in political and military aspects than the Delawares. The Delawares did not domesticate animals. They got food form hunting, fishing, and growing cereal. Steam sweat lodges were used to cure diseases. Men chopped down trees, built houses, created dams to trap fish, made canoes and weapons, hunted and defended the community in war time. Women raised children and were held in high regard in deciding home affairs. When payments were made to an enemy prevent revenge raiding, women were worth twice more than men. The Susquehannanocks easily drove the Delawares to the eastern side of the Delaware River in 1633. Indian warfare generally consisted of a surprise attack, destroy what could be destroyed, take prisoners, and withdraw. Weapons were clubs and spears. Prisoners were often beaten with hatchets and clubs. The tribal women usually determined the life or death fate of prisoners. The Delaware required that marriage occur outside their community. Each community sent members to a village council. Representatives from this council, known as Captains and sometimes as Kings, would meet with British representatives who referred to those representatives. The British realized these representatives had no authority to make a final agreement to a treaty. Tribal councils, presided by a sachem, were the meetings where decisions were made. Delaware children were given names at around age six or seven. The name would describe the child's career path. A boy was initiated into manhood by being left alone several days in the forest. A spiritual vision was to come to the boy. Parents arranged Delaware marriages for men around age 17 or 18 and girls around age 1

"Indians in Pennsylvania" provides a very concise overview of Native American cultures and covers the interaction of the European immigration. This is one of the best presentations of interaction of the "White Man" and the Native North Americans that I have read.

I was really pleased with this book, all the more so since it was published in 1970, when attitudes towards Native Americans weren't as they are today in 2005. The book is not too long, but thorough and well-documented. It's about right for someone who's really busy and just wants a good and thorough overview. The book explains well the various tribes (including the Delaware, Iriquois, Eries, Susquehannocks, Shawnee, Conoy, Conestoga, Mohawk, Oneida, Tuscarora, and Wyandots), although it's focus is particularly on the Delaware and Iriquois, who were descendant and ascendant at the time. Wallace does a particularly good job explaining the impact of white settlers on the native tribes, particularly in terms of the impact on native economics, which drove local tribes to immediately abandon traditional weapons for guns, which they could only get from the settlers. In order to get guns, the only item the settlers wanted were furs, which were in demand in Europe, particularly beaver. Immediately the local animal populations were devastated, and in order to get more, the Native tribes had to go further and further west. All the tribes realized that their fates were precarious, as they dealt with the English in the East and the French to the North, and the Indian tribes weren't innocent, they worked politics and alliances as well as the English... although perhaps not as well as the French. The Iriquois in particular had a clear vision of what they had to do to survive, and jockeyed to become the middle-men between the other Indian tribes and the settlers. There's much more than this, including primary source accounts from the 17th and 18th Century, well-balanced descriptions of culture, technology, religion, and ceremonies, maps and illustrations, and the final migration of the Indians out of Pennsylvania, based on a series of land purchases and the "extinguishment of Indian title." And of course much history about the wars and conflicts between tribes and the settlers. History has been revised (as it has been before and will be before), and this book may have an older point of view that may not be what is conventional wisdom today regarding relations between the settlers and natives. But in some ways this point of view is new to me, and is worth considering. Rather than being entirely stolen, land in pennsylvania was purchased in fairly above-board manners that surprised me. When taken in context of how land had been won and lost between the tribes for centuries before, and how there was a vast uninhabited area in Western Pennsylvania due to the disappearnce of the Monongahelia tribe (due to plague or conquest is unknown), it puts things in a new perspective. That doesn't lessen by any means other tragic events (such as the forced relocation through the Trail of Tears, etc.) and what conventional wisdom says are hundreds of other broken treaties, but it is a different perspective. I'd recommend this book for people with an interest

Paul A. W. Wallace offers us an unbiased account of the history of the Native American people of Pennsylvania. Each chapter made me want to learn more about the individual tribe that was represented in its pages and inspired me to continue reading. Mr. Wallace does not ever compare the European settlers with the Indians and say that one was more savage than the other. He merely points out that the Native American people were more intelligent than what the history books would have us believe. Paul Wallace introduces us to an innocent culture and guides us through the necessary metamorphosis of a land besieged by "conquerors." If you're interested in the plight of Native Americans, or in the history of Pennsylvania, this book should become the keystone of your library!