Since the time of Columbus; explorers dreamed of a water passage across the North American continent. President Thomas Jefferson shared this dream. He conceived the Corps of Discovery to travel up the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountains and westward along possible river routes to the Pacific Ocean. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led this expedition of 1804–6. Along the way they filled hundreds of notebook pages with observations of the geography; Indian tribes; and natural history of the trans-Mississippi West. The late-summer and fall months of 1805 were the most difficult period of Lewis and Clark's journey. This volume documents their travels from the Three Forks of the Missouri River in present-day Montana to the Cascades of the Columbia River on today's Washington-Oregon border; including the expedition's progress over the rugged Bitterroot Mountains; along the nearly impenetrable Lolo Trail. Along the way; the explorers encounter Shoshones; Flatheads; Nez Perces; and other Indian tribes; some of whom had never before met white people.
#1621851 in Books Bison Books 2004-11-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .95 x 5.98l; 1.26 #File Name: 0803262248407 pages
Review
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Alfred W. BowersBy CustomerWriting was informative but long. I would recomend this book for anyone interested in native american studies! I bought this book for an elderly family member and she enjoyed it greatly!2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Classic Ethnography of Matrilineal SocietyBy ernest schuskyThe Mandan have all the economic conditions basic to matrilineal society--intensive hoe agriculture; matrilocal residence and the resulting Crow type kinship system. Bowers connects all of these to show how matrilneal clans form the cement of social organization.In addition; the Mandan had (to some extent still have) a complex ceremonial organization that featured three types of marriage; the first two being the important ones. A woman's parents selected a groom for their daughter; invited him to a kind of engagment meeting party; sealed the meeting with a white bison robe and other gifts; followed by a bestowal of horses on the groom by the bride's brothers. The second marriage was a reversal with the groom's parents selecting a bride; inviting her and her family to a meeting; followed by exchange of gifts.Bowers has extensvie descriptions of the ceremonies; but what was most important in his account was to show how clans are basic to all the institutions of society: economics; politics; religion and family.Recommended for anyone with an interest in Plains Indians or the field of social organization; to some degree religious ceremony.ernestschusky.com
