Historiography of Native American History

Historiography of Native American History

Historiography of Native American History




The story of the Native American has long been a point of interest in the history of the United States of America. As with other historical areas, the study of the Indian experience has adapted with the changing trends of the day. Yet, the schools of thought surrounding the topic are still closely related to those of the colonial era. Regardless of this fact, Native American study has been a notable area of interest since the mid-1970s. With the growing multidisciplinary approach to historical study, the rise of ethnohistory, and the publication of key texts on the history of Indians, the topic found a renewed interest that is strong to this day. Still, one must understand that even modern historians have differing views of the impetuses behind the conflict between the “white” man and the “red” man.

This modest historiographical comparison does not claim to cover the entire spectrum of methodologies regarding Native American study, but the works covered here were selected with care to ensure that the major philosophies were represented. Barbara Graymont’s The Iroquois in the American Revolution is characterized by the neo-Whig methodology which points toward ideological causes as the roots for change during the time period. This is contrasted by the progressive methodology which is based largely on the ideas of class conflict. Woody Holton’s Forced Founder: Indians, Debtors, Slaves, and the Making of the American Revolution in Virginia gives the reader an upfront clue as to which classes he sees conflict occurring between during the colonial period. These two monographs represent the current two major methodologies of Native American study. Richard Drinnon’s Facing West: The Metaphysics of Indian-Hating and Empire-Building brings a racism infused answer to the question of why the Native American was displaced. The final two pieces are essays which cover more specific topics, but their focuses represent...

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