Natives and Newcomers : The Cultural Origins of North America

This is a collection of the best essays of one of America's premier ethnohistorians. In accessible and often witty prose, Axtell examines the major encounters between Indians and Europeans- first contacts, communications, epidemics, trade and gift-giving, social and sexual mingling, work, conversions, military clashes-and proves their short- and long- term consequences for both cultures. Using the results of his extensive research in wide-ranging primary source material, he uncovers the way encounters between Indians and Europeans ultimately led to the birth of a distinctly American identity.