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l*Si*srqsa;*tFyT*d5ts?4*ieie**'*rk'**:s A'-rgusi 25 2A12

FSATURE 23

The GreEt Confoundi*g Of America

We strap a lie detector to history books to debunk some popular myths about Colurnbus, the Pilgrims and "savages"
BY BRYAN ABRAMS AND LEEANNE ROOT

hcn Cr.rckcJ.conr potrcd.ur \TZf \X / rrticlc on \1ry i5 cntitlcci YY "6 RiJiculotrs Li.'. Y,-'ti lJelicvc Aborit the Founding of Ar-ncrica,'

firsr made contact ri'ith Atnerican Indians. And probabl,v x-ished they h,rdn't.

son and the Vikings caiied this "ner,i"'

creatcd a rnini-sensation. Tens of it on Facebook, and ntore th*n 2.5 million people
thousands ofpeople liked
have yier'r'ed

it

The evidence suggests that Yikings made contact rvith American Indians as long ago as the 1Oth century, as they expiored the northeast coast of u'hat

it on the site. So ICTIv{N dccided to look * little more closelv at

their myth busting.

First Contact
Some of-rhe myths Cracked.com dealt

u'itir invoh:ecl first cont?.ct r'vith the original peoples of Nolth Anerica. One oiihe mythi says: "America.u'as discovered in 1+92 because Europeans'xere
stirrting to get curious about the outsicie rvorld thanks to the Renaissance and Enlighrenrnent." Thc first sad facr is that most Amelican scl'roois still teach children that

is r"rorv ir{orth Ame ricir-u..hat thty called Vineland or Vinland. ln their i906 book, Tbe l{orse Discouery o-f imeriu, A.M. Reeves, N.L. Beamish and R.B. Anderson go into great cierail about the encounters betrvcen the ferocious Vikings and the Native inhabitants of Vinland, rvhich got its

rl'orld Vinlurd. f'he authors o{ The }torse I)i-;c*rrry of ,4rnerlca say Collrmbus missed "discovering" America by abour 500 1'sx.tt 'The i\Tikingl sagas givc verv full and inrcrcsrittq accout'tts oi the \ ari()ui Flotlu!:rs o{:Vi;rland and of th. narivcs or aborigines u'irh u'hont our Norsc txnlcrcrs carnc in contact... Lcif Erikson rv'rs rhc first European ,rnd rhe lirst Christian who planted his feet on American soil and, as tuch, he descrvct a conspicuous piace in the historv of our countrv.' There are plentv of irooks suppottinq
the argument th;rt the Vihngs were elrc

Christopher Columbus "discovered"

Arnerica, even though u'e all knov'hos' ab-.urd this is on inukiple levels. First, Colurnbus could not have "discovcred" Arnerica, as you can't discover

The Vikings vvere the first to encounter American Indians, with the Basques being
second.
fiom a servant of Le if Erikson's who r.enr raissing rvhen a Yiking ship landed in ilorlern day Boston Harbor and did some exploring. Fearing his
name servan! (rvhorn he favored) T,vrker had

{irst Europear}s to encouilter Acreric:ii Indians (rvith tire Basques being se.:ond,
as described

in lv{ark Kurlanskyi musr-

read book, Cocl: '4 Biography of'the Fish Tbat Changed the LI.orlfi. They inciude

Annette Kolodnv's In Searclt E I'irst Coutact: T'he L'iiings oJ- l'irclaid, the I\'uplo ol the DauwtlnC, anrl the ,!uglo' .4 i eri r.in . I u t i t.y o.l' [ ) i s *t;to.v, Chlrles
t e

something th;rt already exisrs and is heavilv populated. So lve'll ignore the "cliscovered" portiou of rhe mvth arld focus on a second component, x,hich is tirat ir's rrlso obvior-rs that Colr"itnbus'rvas far from the first European to reach the New Worid (ag'.rin, somethinq c:rn't be "ne*"' rvhen it's actuallr'
oir.l and inhabircd.)

C. N{:inrr's 1491: Neu' ReueLttions oJ'the ,4nt.eric,ts Begore Coluzrtbu: and \'tiiliarn F. Fitzhugh and Eiisabeth Vard'.s tr/ihiztgs: Tlte North Atlantic Saga. Same .er."oh.ts pur the \rikings ,rs fir south as modern dav North Caroiina, and as

fir

s'e-*r irs Oklahoraa.

'Ih;rt distin.:tion

becn slain by the Natives (rvhom the Vikings had learned to respect and, some might arguc, fear), Erikson setrt our e seaiclr p;irty lbr him. Instead of

goes to rhe Vikings, tl're Norse rvarriors

ancl explorers v"'ho rvere raiding ancl settling many parrs of the rvor'ld fi'om the iatc-cightir to mid-i lth centurr'. h
rvas the

finding him dead, rhel'found hirn in rvas a srate of agitated glee -Tvrker not far from cirmp, holding an arm full ol q.iid grapcs (mrich as they grel' in
the German's homelands). Thus, F.rik-

One intriguing stoiy about rhe clash betrveen Viliings and Americ;rn Indians is that of Eriksol's brother, Thorvald, t'ho s..riied..".'ith 30 men !o Neu.tbundiand and spent the winter at Leif's camp
rherc. Thorr'.rld is thotrcht to
h,r'n'e

\iikines, not Clolu:nbus, u'iro

tackcd nine Natives # Nc*'lbundl.rn.i, wlto rn'er. tl.cpilrq undcr thrcc eiglri of skin-covercd crlnoc\.

at-

"ndiitt.d

August 29,2012. THIS WEEK FROM INDIAN COUI'ITRY TODAY

24

]:..j

!)::piLilattiii.'rl'ilcitt{Thorttid,':rltttth,ztt/te them. 'lhe o:lc \y!ro got ;rN,l\- letuiiitrl ']l:,-,n.,rl,l irr lbrce, ,ind ,i l-.artlr ui1:iilri. n,,is kilicd Lr',,an ario.,v to his hcaii. I{c
11.l' ',lililf:: Tb iil.:.
s c

lt,iztr/so.fltili'utt, l{)()2.t.;;
histor=r',

ln one c;l the grc:rt tragcdics of

Cr';]u:n'orLs
i
.r-i

thrt

Cr;iuirrbi-rs ciidn'; ".1iscctvtl" :it,"'-

rvrrlt .c irit gravc pocr, i:cii';'''E'-; : ii

ne heti mcreit',-liscoverc,:l Inciia.'"

1:
1r.'

.
t, t,

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.i:ii:'ri::'." r:J

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11

r i' u : i-i

-'X/:'.;e,:

I ::.:,t i1

t N o r s c f) i

r'_),' o

:;i;rile i,is Sirivil ti-rc iiist Christi.rti gr;ivc in ti.tc "sc:itcitr *'+i-id' "!ii:r grtvc n'es rr"irrr-Lc,.1 i:r- tr...'o clcrscs, otre ;it th* hc;rt]

',7

it ; t r i

clti*:,

-ilcr.. the littlt brlntl .rnr :rt ti:e foor. of Nor-.e :rtcn, ir;rving lost t-hcir lc,rul.i,
,u.rci

rotr. (lraclir.l.crirn': lnl,Eh b,.rstilg .tbou t Cohunbr;s s:r\,s in L)ari thsr hc "rlisco* criri Amcric,r thrrnks tri a ii.""i'ing joi-iincv .iailrsi iiia r\i-i":;;ii". l-ii,. cr'toi' r..,,i= ,il;.riti
le til r-r'rr ti-r

('

i* e n i l,, n rl," t1-rcv';

rnenrioncd tliat Cohrrabus didn't rlis.oyci- aIil'thir!g, llor rvlrs he ihc ist t,i eri-)ss th. Aii;i;rcic. r\m eiicirl lni iirr-:s bcrlt hin to th,rt, bi' ,rbcr-rt i,552 vears. "'iir.o Amcric:,n lndir.ns shipn'r'ecktd il i..','1tir js nitt.-l l{clianil :tri..rtn,.l t1$ i:.r:. bci,:nre rn'.rjot' ;nricsitre s ir: iuroi:';,'
'ivr()te
-J.irnes -h/d iI!c: Et:rr.1ihirtg |hitr jznei'ir-,2t;

'ilic.,.ji ii), r.-,'1;;..! :ibi;::r- il:e :;i.;ii: rir:it iri riieC pocr? l)r> an liitcit.ict ..e;trch ii,'r {lti/ttrlit*t;-, t.iitc/ i,r;,;tI*.,s, and r.,u'li iind ihei {,li;iLri;lbiis ..lie.'l ,r ivealrltv in;r* iii l5i)5,.rnrl trcir lritt! .t {oriti i.ie.r oi'rr ir;rt he irrr.l lbr-rn.l ,r'!re n l-re lrri.icii in ti:e
.1'i;i;.r

i,. \\.istl i uii ., pi,t;:-.:ji:trri:e'r (si,rcl so :tt:tlir Jir,.l irrg

iliii,L,:,:r.l llt,rr

Nci-".'rl..furiil. 1;'i rhc icr-ir:rrll ,-;lhi:; rliir"d i'ri-iili{jc ri] l+93 hc n-l-i;re, "I h,:vc i+.rr:c

i-ocr','en in i.ies l'lty It,zti.;at'

tiriii rljs is ;r rnigl'.iv couiiticrrr ich t,ar l-,ithcrlc, rtiiknc-,';u." x'h

rc, l';cjic-,.c

ilisiai'1' Ttxil;ooit Got i{:ruig. Anci in his L,u,,i-, i tir', ilt, ',r,t, i.'t',i,t,t Di:t,t" tt t:t'

,{

stor-v pubiisired on il;.\i i\i'coni

iatr.i rv':"s spiirted. F.vcr': ri*e;"ire iiinlicJ irl Anrerica, Colr-rrlbus riirin'r le,rii:r., iic hati ,,1i.:icr' ere d ,rn entirc .ontine ltt irecausi tnrps ol Ainrt'ic;r ,r..:r'. i,rr ].:ss rcli,lL-1.: b,rck rhcn.

rc thx-.'w

hi:l

i-.r'c',:i.;or.rtl ',r-hen

tit': i{'i;rlr/, Gavin

r,r'o,rlci Ceceiles

.\.'icr.lz.ics :lLsuc:;

iir:ii

litrqc Chincsc flee t circunru:vig:rt,:i,1 thc

bcibre Euiopc:rns iirouqht about saiiirig dut ri'est.

tltn

So norv that r.,'e're ,rli cie:rr on the irrcr

iiidrir airirivcis;lii:' tliC,rlrirrillrr.'' .l.,rtlr, )t;tqr'\l\ iir.it ( -,.iIrriiillirr tit.t, i,,'.t'c i..il.,::, .,:t rt:i, LriS' r.;t \ci'iur ,,,l,;. *,'.,,.. Cl,rric* G.l:-ii i' ili. .,r,rj,nr ai !'..',rr{ii.;i.tip /,..;-;i'ii ; ttf t i; r i {'' i: i ; r i I rt :.t : !:t: I ! c iz's,'.Yrotr t11:: I
orr iii;rv 2fl, rh'-,

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IIlt.it CaltitLt'
ne\. ei'irie nce sLlgg.sts Cclu*rb',is :lr,il'
i-r:',vc lieer-r

c!,iitucri

tltt "ntu"'u'orir/

lrtr Spti*

in l-i92, ht r',i:,tlrt.trtti),i Littt{ii}/t:il

ii &{':.rr"riro, riL

l',

icisncri
;rrs...

.,-;n!.'er..si

on to

i'iei'soir t'h,-, Crrh ci ici sr:'r

n'ere :r't {orthco:ning. Cn licitcu:, :rt tlic tirnc ,;irl.t"r. d,rp.i;;Lrri. :ir pc;ii'rt, Cr:::Leii.com cites Hou, ,1s:,roicrr's native-r lirr vorir Highne sse s,'" he q.:-i:tr

liciits
F'iz'-tt

tilr.;

,\etti:r-i

*'h i ie covertiy pr.i.ti cilIg.ir:,j*ism. " lic.ctrti'n', ;i rti-rriibcr oi'5p;u rr"rir seitr,-i-

li;irre cotrclut-ic.i thrrr

l.ill::1,:':,';,1i,'.'ii;l,,iill

t'' Trvo rncljsns

icilrred

:11';i,;::..:'|]ii::jfiil {whxt
cle
i .,. r.-)i

*:i:i,'X j.;:1,:::J:i:1:,bsc*:r;i s nini ar cu ::?csjfias in

ritrsing," Gnrcia
1- \: a-.L,r\-\. --:. .. Ii illrL " !riii-ilr--

!)ti-titztt,tni:iitg Nctlur' ,'lttr't'iL',i;,-, ,ttirl ;\nri riris lca.is to anothc r invstcrr.", iiil) it,itt.s ii''i i.t i"uitgttrpt, Laus, (iuit,; .:,-airing ro irc sr:ived: Why ,,ir.l :rrost hisr.rrl. books t-.lirhelv skiii rurosi o1'ri,irtit i::rppirre rl shiltvvrecked i n hrfr, . "n Ctiitirn[r'-rr's .u'liv:ri in f .i92 :ir.rii ihe Pilis n-cwl Flallcnrl nround #0 n.r:" gtljlis' :liirival in i,520: \1i,"1'.;* h- ,. (',','i..ii "

lttrtitctl

Ch,tttc/

SlayoJ': ir iiis

ourniri on t-)ctobcr 11, i+91.

E rzr* p

*'roti

cle:."n-rin'j is i:rore conlnlor-riv

as

t<r

tiie Sp:nisir inrpiisitir::ir.

:i.iisitrs is soitreti'iilig Ctil=,inibts !rrr)\il:rl ro bc e.icpi rir. iic .,', ,1.'tf.l'.,1. r() *-li';i li irr,rfit 1.:;' iii. i;r. "" yestofs, rir:cl rilrr]q:C to siave l.;.,vi'r*fl iir-c1.
crf
cie

And

iaic

,z;tr/ ll.rlit!ot; b.,' ilavirl K. Li'Rourk,-, ".vho cl:riit-. thi',t iroll his i''irst \.{}rv:rgc o:r Ce-lurlbus r.r.a: etivisir>t'iing iro-rr' hr coui.i enslave tlic i'intivcs irc cncoun-

..clli siiqg.sts, ihlt icacl-rlrs ,rnd hislcri:ir:s ":rLil't irirgc i'.irir oi rvi,rr r.. hitt propie got 1i1l to berrvr.n l'i92 :lnrl
"

i 6?.()

ilr Arr,cl'icir--.-inc::ti-v r'liggins fbr

*rhcr."

g.-ricl ,11.1 c:ltit'tg c;rcl:

:errd: "Thl; shcrild

l. orrr' { ,riJ Lrring pir'rric.l . *:]l t.rk.

bc g.;oC seiriini,r....

I-ocrven t;rciries tiris topic in Lics 1!-i -{t,; t !.; t' ;' T,, ! i ! } [,' t'hen i:lliii'r g ;,.b ri,-i i rvhr' -.;e i.jn,.lre thc scltie ls ii.I liii.rle s-

Ai;g1i.:-rt 29,2,A1?,

?HlS WEEX FPOF4 l!'|9lAN COI,NTRY TODAY

Si;:,zil1;*

ii.'..;s

tl.;t ,t'r,iFttij af tt;;ss

rli,irti;lit;; iii ''lrnti

itt'-

i:t

t j.tL

I50A:.

oithcse ivho rnirde l:incl fhe r' tvere \\'iped oul L'ry a pla-euc l-ri rir irivnc,-rrh i{ock. "l{isrolians couicl srnailpc:<, somcthing Natir.es ir,ici ::ever hai.ii.r rout \.,-irgii:irr... T1-re Vircir:ians' secn b,ec,riise ir came lrom iivi-i-ig iir -clc:e proximitv ro iivcstock, sometiring t..rrttre ir..tiirns l,irh ihe lrrriigns ..,ir- ;ta.ri cu,i ;rrlr' Ell :la1'o ry... tl-i!-

tolrli in

i:avor

ce;rt ol iirt l.irrri-"'t prrpti|aricir: i:.'l'.tl:*:t th.- tisrt Coiumbirs :oli*r.red ,.rp :t;.i tl'. "Iit't-e i i;r'r:t'',i .'i' ,\ l.t',,tiitl,t i.::i.i..J. oniz,rrion ivc;:c kiiic.-i by il:it'isi:in {.i't'::s.
t1..:r: i:r. eirl-,<r rl.:* g!ii-!
.--;l

e:rriv i'-i rgir,ixns eiigrge{i

il; bickcring. ,.lcrir,

J

.--.;et't
!

canni'balism," i:e rvrites.

avs.ii g*i ri g

i ltt'\,i \:),-:ilf tir'jl!'i':lrJ\

r:"t"i,-i
r-'

ii.t

iroles
i

ir

the groun.-I,

hlp-

icssi", 1<r.riiiiir i.-ir

r.isie.rri
-!

gtl.l
Il

"ri i.r.rti -t]-t*v'rverc siilrvi

Fi;-,l ri ng crops.

,, F[istorii\ns " er-:-i't httge fcns r:f 14,ilit{ wj'tite people got Lip t* betu,een 14gz c;?d 1620 jn A;r:e::tci3-Jl? *stly dlg$ng {or gr:ld {rnd sctlllg e{}cJ:i *thes:."
in E'-rr.:pc haii beclt .ioinq fol lircur-.

iit'it,.orti,tii,ti;i:r1g.r'il. riir .1,.:ij;i{'\r .i{r'ni,.)i c.--:rqtiest, s,:vs llBS"trrg "i*.;;.;=;;'

i'h

;r

L!rr:rt rr.ii:,1

.l-.- s,;. iri,,i,r'ii-

crii ri-,rrf:,,i'c to g;.lin;-.rt riige i;l ;i,ci:' l,',-,itits with i\ nier.ic;in Ii:<ii:i; r:;
I

g
ers

.ttij rltglittg tilt irLllrlLl

Ltlas

ri'i:i,ulii. rl p: itri: .,-<:i:lpic r.";.is ci*iiiri ui-- i'-1'

di-.iir .{.!rirses Eo cat or rtncing themsei','es

i:ii: rc inii,-lil irrrriili,:s

-.elv:iltt:."

rrLi':rls of vcirs.

Plague of the Filgrirns llii.rr cc*l:ict t itl"r EuroFcans *.es <ii:;,',srror,rs ibr tirt +;:iginli peoplcs. Onc cl rit i-irvt]rs s;,vs, 'ilmerican iriiians n'cre 'ilrie ate ri' bi' r.,'l"rite, se rtle rs." \ti'ollq.
:sd;.=

C r : r: I' e il,. c t::,: : :.-'','i,,1 P B S p it g r :r tt rirleii (ll*;-s, {itz'riti *trl Steel, b:rseci on :ire booli !:'v J:.i.c.', l)i.,-rnoi'rii, ilr:...r cxplirins hc,":' |,*.op..tt, !,rought ih;l disi.rse t nii ciriicis, inciriclirtg rhe i:l-it trnci measlc,., x'iih t!ren-r. iiiiiing st;r:re 9L) ptr-

--.vas cor ,::,iiiiling ge t'icr,ri oi Biiiisl, i*rc'c. ir \l+rri: .i;rri:1,-. driring ll',c iirr.ii i;:tiiir' r--l'rli. l-:':rriir ,,:ri irrrii.rri trirr ( 1 -i ' 176-3). Ti:t :i,-".'n of :\r:r!:t-.:;i' i'11.':tii:liilsL:lls it':-. l:itcL;-::ittit,-i ir;r him" l-o r.,-as l'ririrersl t,oilcgc. ,{iciriii:rns :4.,' fcti 3.::tiieisr h;rei

Lorui -ielli-cv Aini:ersr, ri-ho

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ilttl!l:qts

rl:t:.f":i:cr} ti:t;;: i::.1,'';.':.;.,':

-:

re,j x'i ri-i sni:rl ip ox sri!. iti tirt -lnd-ir.ns. in Crrii -ii';ritir;:r:l':; =ii!as af the No,-ril ,\t;;triL,.:;: !:;ii,*i t!''ert
b

l:rn kc t:;

r-r

ie

Ir, i 49l h{ai-rn lr'r-i.es r:i '.vh:rt {lio.,'ii:rni .ia \ielrtizz;ino, ari Itaii:il sr,,iii,-r, sir"w whe n hc fir'st c,li:ght sigiri .-:l: the La:st C*;r:;t cf Norrir Ameri;a in 1523:

is ii,i',tl-rnrrr

u.ii'jc cl lji:i'r Ili;i

l'",

Chici Poniiirc.s lorces drilit.tg tirc sutr.rrner oi' 1 753 : "C;p.ieiir Si t:recr: F c:.r-r'et had boiigirt eirne bl s,:lcii;i.q snr,iilpo.:lr ric c ltri bi,i;ikr ts ;;;i,,1 i iiriiri i.ci'ci i icis rt-r rl're L.rcliar:s surroui-iditg the iort--a;r ,: ri ri."' cx,r mp e o f L, i oi c', i c,r I r-,' a r ii rc ..-ri'ili ch s t,r :: te ci :r n ep i r,ic rr: i c :r. tl1 {-)r-t { rheiri. Ani1,rist irill.,rli irii.1 crcl,t-tiri{iii ii:i- r.r,-",i. i:; ., lc:1.'' ir, ir.-iiir.' iri :l-,tr--. t'rii' 'lt,;, lt:t' lit!:i 3ir', i.ttr'""cir i,,ii Ls'.iL o',r r- i r.r*, -f o i'r n \\'i i t t i i rr:,t,', qo r'err:or of rlic l'{:rssrch-.rsrtts Iitiy Cckr;r'.' e.:]lli liic i-,l..utrt ",iiit'i.illui,'.... lii 16-1 i hc \\iroii :o :i iricld in Engl,rnd, 'iJui ior tii. rli.Eives il the:;c palts, God l.ilch s,-; pr-rrsue rl tlrcrr, tis i':r ,l{10 r:riics spacr.: tir.r {f-elcsl Irarr of !hc:r ::1'c :-;.i
i
11

"He obscrr..cl that the ioastiin.r

eve

ri'-

li,irri-* ryas 'r-ir:t.ise il' pcpsiare .-i; sr;:oil' rvith lncli:r.n bo*jires: he couki somt:inres srncii thc brirning hilncir.:iis oi mi!ts arl,ir-;." Iiesearrhrrs cstirn:1i. thar iit. r. ri'r, c Ltii,.i tcn 20 ririiiiorr rr,,.i ] fiO rrriilio:r i'i:iiiii: ill tl-,i Atnii iea:, l:rlirrr

A a c't tl'i c r ;'uy r h C l,,r c ke 6l. E 1- 111 j i 5 ; :,: 5 e. :n 'iiilS;'iiti\ 1.,, e l'c ilrc fir'st, i'r ., it.,:'.,J1 a i' Lr r e t' c c t ti e r s v,- ir o p * s i'r.- ii .: i l i i i :r ri. 1;j(iti i.. r'\!',i :i:C :,1.-rirg,j1- 1-'r.;r11itr1 r', ;rir eibc.*' gic:'ise ;rn<i she ei grizzlc'cl-iii''j.ir'!;1.n sr;?rgtii." &ir,-*t of iirc !:-rli;.-in.i-!

rlic plaEue . 'i-ile eirtire j-ropul-rri+rr ci i:urope at iir:rr iii-iit r','.i.q 7iJ rliiiir.ln, so rlir q:rti,r,r tL;rl th* siiail-rs.i:i,;,i:ei tr h e l itir...,, b +tii c -tcsrtd p opr.ria:i cn

tioi-t Cilirl;ed.con: eitc-t hcr.: !rilinls ii'',:rn Il,u:t;'.,; t'll:lnti r' r!ltrit rr:orri5 ii+r-li e arir coio*iirl iilres. "l{athe r th:irt rhe tiricli, r:r:biolie ii, iitonun:citrel si:,rri oi'ir,:cs in:orgincr-i bv lhor:t';ir,r,

thc !li::er r-:tsacrii i-ii:'Lisf 11'-1: ir'i] .aoicgiJai k.iieii-laice.Ft oi e,Lrrieil ploi:, -b
-- i
-i

r,; itl- r i ::.,' :'r::i: L le irc i o u

-,

p i ;t
s

:i

i:i- it :;, :iit

Lrr

-lxr cheir on'r llni no less;--r-itirc*t hciir ii,.lar rne ciistascs ai-,g-y 1\16ugiri *'itir
tire nr, is pfirilosEcro-Lis.

l gio\.,e s c f',:hc cn tr i, h ici;o rv, enrl orrl. jhc ii-st Eriropcrri::; iir Oliio
gr

l;irion nut.ibers

Les:-rclinE iirc or-igir.iiil pcopies popub-," i-u'inging eli.sci:se iil'r

]11',-li1.r\1Jl

i:: '. 1., i:l!',iii.iiiiiu.i !li- '1 rr. '1--.!'.

riiL:,

:ii;r

.';ll

r!:e cnl.,' thing thar hclpe.l ti'r,.: ililgrirr-,.1 ciii-,ti. J}ir ai)r:i1iiv rr.i; b:i-.ic:il-i t:irtve-

u n 11, lo r t,.., i1 ;lnris t n r. t resc r-itb lc,-i F. nesh carks -- r her- c i:uld ii ii:'e c:: rri :: r.-1r s ii-rioug-h thc trces," -t;rr:s ]n{rr:rn' "Llur :chooiirt,'cii-" ,oreseiit lhc .stcrro r dic Irii giiits ;.is ::r ir;roic inyll1.. " r.i'ci-

lb
Ii

ii;rg rc 'ri:c iirric F:1rtv'

c

ir

ti:e

ir
l,'

'sr"i:rtii.

contiii

:-tes

lirii{llig ihru."'

in

le

,idir

-r-o4ren

rhev Ecr hcr',:.

.c

it'r

l;

;-,r

i c rc

ii

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li

-.

i',

..,'i i :i e

"

sa

ys

riususi 2t,2A':2

TFIIS

WgK FROF! !NS;Ai{ gSUilTRY TSEAY

?8
Loett'cit in ;i piccc entitled ""Ihc Tiuth Aboirr thc Firrr'fh.irrksgiving." Hc .er': "rhc irurtrlcrv is Light otrt oi5'i,li f;i','.'t 'to so boldlv n'heie none dareci ga ire toic.'" In flct, thc Pilgrinr. cltose to lant{ er Pl', mourh bccarisc of lrs cle .ir'..] fiel.ls thai had re ccntly becn planted in
\Wt' took scvcrrl

to cxrry

a'.!':-L,v

olthe prettiest things with lts, and coYerc.l the

boriv up asrlir-!."

One oltirc ildi;rns r."ho heiped rhe Pilgrims, rrnrl \\ l'loic stort is oftcn ttris-

tc. Cr;rcired.com tlescribed his "epic

ruprcstrnrc(i iri lrisrt-,rr books, is Squarr-

l\{assachusetts in 1613, anci lv,ls i:artlv there a vcar bc{'.-rre hc rv;rs alrdiitre.l b"v llunt. L{t wrls rhi:n sold inro si:rvei,v in i\{alag;r, Sprrin, e scapecl and haei b''- tiren learne.l eni,ugh Englisir ta talk a ship caprain into tak-inq irim back to Cape

Coit i;i 1619. Bur

corn, :rs if bl' sorne

"nriracle." :\s Locrl'etr points crut, "It t.as a iovclv sire ibr a to$'n.

plague,

Indeed, Lintil the it hrd bcerr

a torr,n"..Throughou! Ne\v Englanrl, colonists appropriated Indi,rt) corllfi

h. ,et.,rn..i hoine, he wis the oni-v otle in his tribe srill,rlive. All his peoplc harl been killi:d bv the pii,guc rrro vears eariier. So, .r,hen tir. 1):igiin-r:shorved up i-'e dc.:i,.ied to heip them ie,,rli

sadh', this time "'r'hen

to iive iir his gh*s:

torvn cf
a

clds, ..r.irich e.'iplains

village. n

rvl'ry s<Man-v towll

Schoolchildri

namcs-14arshfield,

x'hc,',vant ao und*rstand the ti'ue histr)!:y

Springficlcl, l)eer6elcl-end in'6eLl."' Ancl the Pilgrirns cerrainl,v dicln't go it alone. 'Ihey arrir.ecl

of the Europeati r*i: gration to tire N,:rrlr Amcricau cgltiinr:rt

shoul<1 spcnd less iierc reirrlir.tg,iL:,;ui

in l:rle auturnn,

and according to
Loenren \r,ereil't pre-

parcd. Bcceusc the lndi,rn vilhges had

been ernptied b-v tirc

tifle pondering the tortured l;re ct

fl1orc

Colritnirus,

,tncl

Squanto.

piague the Pilgrims rve rc able to pill:ree

rvhat thev needcd.

Loe*.en .lirotes frorn
a colonist's jcurnal:

A Culture That's Anything but Primitive

This is an ieiell rl;r*-

"Wc mrrrchcd

tcr

sition tii irnothei ttrl tlr * c"ic i;.-,1-;.ti'

to s.c Cr,rckc,l.cotn r{ebunk' rhat Niitive eulture rv;rs primitive

the place rvc crrlled Conrhill, rvhere rvc had found tl-rc corn beiore . Ar ,rnorlicr place u'e had seen
befo-,-e, rve ciug and ioutrd solne r-nore

.I
jouinev"
one thst puts F{omcrls $dJr-\"Jd'i,'to sh:inre. He rvas a mernber of the
as

b l+92.

Crackeri

bunk tliis olr lwo

fronts: One myth is thar Ai-r-rcricr'Ln In.li,r:is livcil in rot,rl

.cotr! ser oi-rt ro de-

corn, ci\io or thre

'l'e

baskcts {rill, ;in.l ,i b,rg h:id abcr.rt ten brrsht,f ber.ns... In all

tlr, nirich till Lrc ttitrtrgli f'trr tcctl. ir rtas *'ith Go.lit lrclp th"it,.lurrntl rhii
corn, lbr hol. else coul.l rvc have ciotr.' it, u'ithout meeting soure Indiaus rvho
rrrighr rrrrrrbic tis... ihc rrcrl rnot'tring. lbr-rnd a pl;rce likc a grave. \Ye dccided to .jig it ip We fir.uiii first :r rn:it, ancl r-,nder rl-rar rfitre bog,... \54 elso fbuni bou'ls, s1x1'., clishes. ;rnd chir-rss iike that.
r','e

?"t.rt.t

bancl of thc Warmpanoag tribc,

and onc oi 20 .aptilied bv Englisii c;{plorer Thcmas l-Iuni in 1614. And that ir.asn't the tirst rime he had been kidnappe d. Accordilig to Loen e ri, he :rnd lour Penobscot Indians rvere tlken bl'
:-r

rr.,i:ii i-r:-trtrr: lu-id thirt F-::r*F':-;urs :rione used rhc nirtlrrai resourc':s oi i.icrrih Americr for- their ol\in PurPoscs arrd rhe othcr is chi-,t Natives dirln't create complcx cii'ies, ;rncl *'cLe in geueral less "civilized" lnrl rheir sociciies l*ss

lrlrrlonv

British c3praln to E:rgllrnd ili about

drvcl.,i,c.l tlilt t l-rtt'tr:..';trt. F",t'ii,. iir'rt palt of tlris dei''trr,kirrg. Crackcd.cou .it.-* a icpora issired 1'-r'
r

1605. Squanto only eot back home to

envircntnei"ltrl s,-:ientisrs llsm Stant':rd

c!$ia****::trgTocE*ts*e-i=#te+q&.*:s

Au

gust 29' 2012

FgAY#Rg ?9
Il'ho rhink Natives cut tlorvn so fllany rrets thy rnay have, in fact, started a mini icc irge. Geochemist Richard Ner4e reported to the Geoiogic;rl Soof Americas ;rnnual meeting last year tilat bv the cnd of tl-re l5tli centulr,, u.ith betu'ccn 40 million and 100 million pcoplc living in the Americas, trees were being destrove d :lt incredible r:rtes ttr make roorn for crops. So, ves, Virqinia, Indigenous Peoples ',rll ovcr tlic Alncric3s \\'erc cLrtrilrg dou'r-, tr.,c: and hanressing the po\ver of the plentiful forests to fied, clothe and irouse their f:rinilies. Brrt this also spcaks to the devclopccl nature of the communities thar existed in Norrh and South America eons before Colurnbus came a-knockinl As for the second portion of their rn1'rh, it has iong been knori'u that Natives br-rilt highlv compiex cities, fi'orn Cahokia in America to Mavau and Azrec citics in N{cxico. One titillarting fact is at Cahoki,r's pcak, in 1250, rhis cirv (locateci ne,rr u'hat is nou'East St. Louis, Illinois) r"'as biggcr and more populous than London. In February 2005, 1)iscoaer nagazine n'rote abor-rt this citv of sotle 20,000 souls u'ho built monuments "rivaling Egyprls Grear Pyr:rrnid, then vanished into oblivion." Cahokia rvas home to q'hat's cot-tsidered the "Gre at Pyramid of the USA: according to \Xlorld-Pyramids .conr, and that's lvlonks i\4ound. This
cie 11'

beforc Europe;lns came ashore, thcrc

cxisted a magnificent rvalled city

four-

r tloodplairr of rhe Mississippi Rii'cr, compltrle n'ith satcllicc

ishing on
villagcs, tharched-roof hottses, ccntral plazas,anci trade roures that stretched from thc Great Lakes to the Gulf of
tr4exico.

tion of thc lroquois Confedcr-,1"-y of Natiotrs to the development of the Llnitcd States Constitutiott anci to reaffirm the continuing governmentto-govinment relatiouship bett'een Indian tribes :rnd tire United $1;11g.-s estnblished in the Constirution."
The resolution name-checi.-s George

more remarkable is that archacologists stili h,rve no idea horv this vast, lost cr"rlturc started, endcd or, as 1)l-ii:a.zrer rvrites, "u'hat g.etrt on in betrveen."
s cYen

\7hat

\lishington and Ben Frsnkiin as cwo notablJconstitutional framers rr'ho

u'ere "knou'n to have gre:rtlv adr:rir-eil rhe concepts of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Cor-rfcderacy." One of those .onleprc, The Gre:rt Law oiPerce, w-as cspeci:rll,v signi6cant, and inspir:rdon:1, to the Founding Fathers.

;11': *: pcople rrvrged I'y plague, but Amcrican Indians arcn't given crc,-iir fbr rhcir incrediblc pre-Columbian cultures ? So *'hat else arcn't they given credit for ? Cracked.com digs into horv rhe U.S. Constitution o\\'es many of its "novel" noti.ons on democratic governuetrt to the Iroquois Confederacy. They quote from Concurrent Resolution 331, from
a

) * !.-"5i

(^l

o Cohrmbrrs gcts credit for some-

**.T:.:;l';

Crackcel.com cites a 1987 conierence held ;rt Corneli University on the

n k bctrvecn thc I r'<,rqu oi \ gLlvcr-i l rlr ulli and the United St;rfes Constitution entitled The Iroquois Great l-au'of llcacc :rnd the U.S. Constit.tliop. (l611velr{i
Ii

gigantic earthrvork, situated ,rbout rnile from the L{ississippi River, is

ir

monurnent to expert planning and coDstrucrion. Tire mound is 92 ieet high, 951 feet iong and 836 feet rvidc. It covers roughly l+.4 acres and consists of more than 2. 16 billion pounds of nonlocr.l soil rvpes. Scietrtists are still tr','ing ro corr.rprehend tl-re coorclit.ratetl effoi-t it cook to move 43.1 rnillion baskets of soil huntlreds of miies,

Schoolchildren who vlant to understand the true history of the European migration should spend less time reading about Columbus, and more time pondering the tortured life of Squanto.
the l00dr Congress in i988, in rvhich it r,vas acknolvledged, "the confederation oirhe oligirrel I3 colonies irrto onc i'rpubiic rvas influenced... by the Iroquois Conf-ederacy, as \\'ere many of the dernocratic principlcs *rhich r.vere incorporated into rhe constitution itself." Farther dov,'n in thar resolution, we find tl'rat Congress's stated purposc was to "acknorvledge the contribu-

the universiry's American Inrli;rr: Studies Program, some 200 scholars examined scholarly and histcrical evidence that North America's oldest dernocracy isn't the United Sraces of America, but rather the Six N;rrions
b,v

Corr{cdcrlcy of the Iroquois. A simple u'eb search brings ilp rE:rfl]/

newspaper articles and schoiarl',- bi.l,lks

on the dcbt the U.S. governmetli

olv-cs

in rheir fbunding principies to

rhE

Confidcracy'.s template. Listing ail tire

books on the subject rvould require q'oui.i more rootn rhan rl'e have -but include Bruce -|ohansen's Fo?"gotte?l l'aunders: Hou' tbe Antericen Intliart
Heiped Shape Detnot'racy, Nancrr Di.tei EgiorT's, Six i{,zrions aJ'Ignorattt Sat',tKis: Btitf,ttuitt Ftitul'liu,trttl rl.,e

Iroqiois Lt,tgtrr oJ',Y.lliotti,.rntl Kirkc *tri Lyrur Sirelby Kickingbirds Indians aitrl the United State,r Constitution: A

\Y'hen rlrr iii'st Europcrirls s\1'{rpt into the northeast of the continent,

F.oigorrett Ltg,tc.y.

o{ten on fbot. Cracked.corn hclpfullv puts rlris inro rr nrodc|n pcrspcdt;\'rto replicate thc c$ort it took to create ivlonks Mound, each of lliinois's currenr 13 million resideuts rvould irave

pooi.rf,,l alliancc ,.rf ,lt itati5,t, th"t lontrolled a vilst e-xpansc of territorv, from tl're St. Larvrence River south into
rvh;rt is norl, Pcnnsvlvania and lvcst inro Iilinois. The lroquois League rvas, .rn.'l still is, rhc olJcst t'.\tlll'iE participrltorv democracY on Eartl-r. V..r."n lookit up. *S

they encountered a higLriy organized,

to haiil a 150-;round basker of soil

from
,rs

far arvsr,

:rs

Indien;1.

The imagination is stirrecl bv the notion rhrrt in rhe 13th centurv, long

August 29,2AQ THIS I

'EEK

FnOll INDIAH COUNTRY TODAY