Cultural Change in the Colonial Southeast - Book Report/Review Example

Cultural change in the colonial Southeast James Axtell provides a survey of not just one but three catalyticcenturies discussing relations between the Indians and the whites. In his sweeping but concise study, he illustrates an entire spectrum of transformations in the southeastern Indian cultures. According to James’ research, these transformations resulted from a number of activities, which included conflicts and contacts between the Indians and the European explorers as well as settlers during the years between the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries. As he stresses on the issues of constant change and dynamism in native cultures and at the same time demonstrating no loss of cultural Indian identity, James argues effectively that it is impossible to understand fully the colonial Southeast without paying certain attention to the native inhabitants of the area prior their massive removal during the 1830s (Axtell 22). This paper will seek to discuss the scope of cultural change in the colonial southeast by covering the content of James Axtell’s book. The scope and summary The content and scope of Axtell’s covers a wide range of activities taking place in the three mention centuries. As the book unveils, Axtell begins his work by talking about the irruption of the native life of numerous Spanish entrants during the sixteenth century, most destructively and notably the Hernando De Soto. He continues by treating the grand Mississippian societies and their rapid decline in their wake (36). Then, he relates the rise of the Franciscan missions and their subsequent fall in Florida with the antagonistic advent of the English settlement in the city of Virginia in the seventeenth century. Upon looking keenly at the content of Axtell’s book you find that, he traces the great symbiotic relations between and among the Louisiana French, the South Carolina English, and their native trade partners of the eighteenth century in the deerskin business. Additionally, he also gives a corresponding relationship between the same native traders with their white neighbors in exchange for conveniences and luxuries as well as necessities. Focusing on the content and scope of the book, Axtell’s primary context regarding interactions between the newcomers and the natives in every mission, trade, and century warfare, it is easy to give a rich and clear sense of the complexity and variety of the Indian- white interactions. It is also possible to provide a distinct interpretation of matrix by which a reviewer can assimilate the details. Based on the series provided in the fifty-eighth lectures of Walter Lynwood Fleming, so colorful is the Indian New South as it contains the accessibility of the account of clashes of cultures within the colonial Southeast. Therefore, it will prove essential, entertaining, and considerable reading this book for people like students of the South and Native America (49). The content of the book shows how Axtell examines the evolution of Native life at the time of colonial development Creeks lands. Moreover, his discussion goes beyond the significance steel, germs, and guns and illustrates the transition of the lives of the Natives from a subsistence form of economy to that of consumerism. At the point where he discusses about European products that affected the Native culture, Axtell also includes mirrors coupled with alcohol and firearms. Apart from that, he also gives an in depth outlook of the differences that were common among the English, French, and Spanish colonialism (54). Giving further examples based on the depth of his analysis, Axtell closes with a particular notion that explains how the American Revolution substantial market reduction for deerskins favored the Natives from the Southwest given the fact that deerskins were their primary exchange commodity. Major topics covered Academic surveys show that Axtell covers a number of topics in his book. However, the mains ones receive some degree of attention. First, he talks deeply about cultural transition. Axtell devotes substantive amount of time as well as considerable pages to discuss the issues of cultural transformation. Before the entry of the European powers, the Southeast Natives used to grant surmountable energy and beliefs towards their traditional cultural activities. Nevertheless, when the Europeans invaded their culture, the Indian’s New World became a replica of the European diversifications (72). Archival resources show that the Southeast Natives depended much on hunting which provided them with deerskins that they traded with but this changed drastically as the European influence diversified and transformed them into consumers. As such, according to Axtell’s conclusions, the Southeasters transformed economically. Another core topic in Axtell’s book is that of religion. Religion and beliefs take a huge portion of his work, as he had to make a number of unfortunate choices. In the traditional system of Southeasterners, people used to celebrate a certain spiritually related ceremony called the Green Corn Ceremony whereby the Natives used to break their old goods. Axtell maintains that this celebration had everything to do with spiritual renewal (80). Ethno historic sources reflect that those Native folks who broke their old goods during the ceremony had to acquire new products after the ceremony. This need for new products increased demand for the imported merchandise by the Southeast Natives. Despite the point that religious beliefs is all about symbols and the relevant rituals, it is quiet eccentric to put across that the spread of western religious beliefs or rather Methodism, led to wonders of trade. Trade is yet another topic that receives decisive illustration by Axtell. Years before and after the European invasion, the Native Southeasterners used to trade deerskins in exchange for other commodities. This means that trade did not involve or had very little to do with imported goods. However, as the Europeans introduced new changes, so did the trading business. The Southeasterners grew demand for imported merchandise making the exchange of goods become more rigorous which in turn resulted to conflicts as every party strived to secure the largest share of the trading market. Surprisingly, trade as a topic receives advent address by Axtell as it forms a big section of his argument regarding the cultural change in the colonial southeast (85). This is so because his book shows shift from trade in traditional products to imported merchandise. Evidence used to substantiate Axtell’s thesis In his thesis statement, Axtell seeks to orientate his audience to the Southeastern Indians studies during the colonial era. He enumerates some religious festivals, which he in turn relates them to the whole community. In contrast, other far much traversed authors on the study of Southeastern Indians during the colonial era subject the Green Corn Celebration to consumption as opposed to Axtell’s connection of this event to spiritual renewal. A thesis statement should not bring out different implications in the middle of the material (93). However, it should stick to the stated point. With that respect, it is understandable to say that some of Axtell’s claims are not substantial. This argument follows the fact that Axtell associated the Green Corn Ceremony with the whole tribe and research findings reveal that this was not the case during the colonial period. On the other end, Axtell’s documentation and evidence is in line with his thesis in that, he promises to seek to expound on the cultural change in the colonial Southeast and keeps that promise. This is so because of the position that he chooses as he analyzes the epic of the Indians New South during the colonial era. As seen in his book, there are cultural changes that took place between and among the sixteenth and eighteenth century whereby the Native Indians of the Southeast transformed and acquired new traditions (101). They adopted new religious practices and defected slowly from their traditional religions such as the Catawba, Creek, and Choctaw as well as Cherokee. His balanced argument on cultural changes traverses all over the book depicting a sense of evidence and documentation just as stated in the thesis statement. Further evaluations of the book find Axtell’s evidence and documentation substantial because of his somewhat interest in explicit impacts of the European invasion. In order to give a clear outlook into the Southeasterners cultural matter, he gives an enumeration of the Native demographic data, considers inter colonial rivalry, and the counter stereotypes that emerged during the colonial period. Agreeably, an entry of a new cluster of people into an infinite community that maintained no contact with the outside world resulted to a number of negativities, which included alcohol consumption, diseases, and invasion as well as dependency (109). Fact-findings opine that the Indians New South started drinking alcohol a substance only believed to have come to their presence through the European invaders. Studies show that Axtell’s book covered many negative impacts that seem to outweigh the positive impacts of the European invasion. There were new diseases that destructed previous well-being of the Natives and there was increased dependency on the whites and their products. Analysis of the book Axtell’s book paints a clear picture and synthesis of how the European invasion Indians New South resulted to cultural change in the colonial southeast. With regard to the main topics, the book has a chronological order of how events took place with respect to time and place. In addition, most of his work corresponds to other author’s works regarding the same subject such as Peter Wood and Charles Hudson. These scholars’ works sheds absolute light on the history and lives of the Southeastern Indians. Close comparison highlights the weight exerted on various matters regarding cultural transformation with response to the Southeastern Indians (113). In conclusion, James Axtell’s book is indeed a bewildering material that has detailed treatment on changes in cultural activities of the Southeast Indians. Conclusions derived from the main topics indicate the actual cultural transitions happening during the colonial period. Ideally, Axtell tells of a modified and influential aspect of the European invasion and their impacts on culture, trade, and religion. Generally, the topics present in his book give a summary of simply how culture or rather the way of life of the Southeastern Indians transformed upon the entry of the French, English, and Spanish. Leaving questions that concern exactness and appropriateness of the occurrence of these activities unanswered is understandable and significant (117). With that in mind, this paper has covered the major topics of the assigned book and derived responsive conclusions from the evidence and documentation as well as reviews of the book. Works Cited Axtell, James. The Indians New South: cultural change in the colonial southeast. Baton: LSU Press, 2011. Print. Read More