Is there, or has there been any research available into native American Peoples before "invasion" in 1492?

Question

Prior to the American invasion, we know that the horse was not in America. Ergo, native Americans must have travelled, hunted on foot. We have recorded history going back to 5000BC. But I cannot find anything on the Native American (other than Incas and Mayas) that tells me how they lived, their tribal relationships, that is diplomacy with other tribes. Was there internal strife? Especially as most European countries have had at least one civil war. I suspect that most of the "records" would have been handed down by Tradition, verbally. To let such a rich culture, and history, diminish and possibly vanish, would be as great a crime, in one sense, as those perpetrated against the Native Americans, by "invaders". I do not apologize for holding strong views. I find it hard to understand a history that only begins in 1492AD, when the American peoples were there for centuries, possibly millenia, before then.

Answer 1

There is plenty of information out there:-

Firstly the native americans themselves who have a rich oral tradition although this deals more with thir myths than with detailed history as we would know it

Secondly there is actually plenty of archaeological information, many of the tribes were not nomadic and built settlements, some of which still remain (eg the pueblo indians)

Finally there are suggestions that prior to the "discovery" of the new world in 1492 there was contact between the chinese and America, probably with the vikings and even possibly with the Irish, all of whom have some tales to tell about the peoples they encountered.

There was diplomacy between the tribes, for example when the elizabethan english arived on roanoak island they met the Emperor Powahan (father of Pocahontas) who ruled over a confederacy of tribes. There were advanced political and trading links, most of which were first disrupted, then destroyed by the invasion.

Answer 2

History begins when the records begin. Because Native American tribes rely on an entirely verbal language, it is impossible to know for sure what happened prior to recorded history. There are fossils that can be used to derive some information about their daily life, but little can be discerned about tribal wars (btw, wars between tribes wouldn't be civil wars because each tribe was its own nation) or diplomacy. However, it makes sense to assume that very little changed over the centuries when it came to tribal diplomacy and warfare, so the European observations in 1492 and on would be indicative of the earlier practices.

I don't see how not having common sense when it comes to how history is recorded constitutes a "strong view." If you want to blame a group of people for allowing Native American history that predates recorded history to vanish, blame the Native Americans for not writing it down.

Answer 3

Because many of the native peoples were not educated and therefore were unable to read and write, there is almost no history written about them. That makes research difficult at best....next to impossible at least.

Your date on the supposed invasion is incorrect. Until the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620, there were almost no Europeans in the New World. Before blaming the problems of the world on Americans, remember that it was actually the people of EUROPE who came to this country. America as a country did not exist, so there were no Americans and therefore no "American invasion" ever happened. The correct term would be "European invasion."

Answer 4

There is a lot of information about the Americas before the columbian invasion. You can go back well over 1000 years in the history of the Southwest, central and South America but many of the books are not in english and most of the interesting books are technical and even these are based on oral histories except for those books based on the petroglyphical and archaeological evidence.

Answer 5

I think 1313 is as far back as you can go. There is a book entitled "Around America 1313" by Rupert Roberkson. May be available in some libraries - is not try National Library LONDON.
The editorial is biased, but gives an insight in life and times around this date.
HOPE THIS HELPS.........

Answer 6

because maximum white human beings do not favor to seem "dull" or as a undeniable old white man or woman, I assure you that not one of the white those who declare to have community American blood can tutor information of it, you may purely really declare to be community American if a tribe acknowledges you as one, they imagine claiming to have community American ancestry makes them "cool" or "particular" I presently stay in New Mexico so there are various genuine section human beings over right here and they surely hate it even as white human beings declare community American blood and that i can see why

Answer 7

Check with the Smithsonian Museum of The American Indian, I "m sure they have the information you need.