Indian Civilization

Ancient civilization left by Indians

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The Indians are right Native American The Indians in America have left quite high ancient civilization 。 They cultivated corn and potatoes, built tall temples, left words that are difficult to explain today, and formed a unique Indian civilization.

Chinese name: Indian Civilization

Features: Diversity and complexity

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Basic Introduction

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America Of Indigenous peoples Indians are indigenous peoples of South and North America. When European explorers crossed Atlantic When they claimed to "discover" the "new continent" of America, Indians had actually lived and multiplied here for more than 10000 years, and created a unique ancient civilization. Discovery: Contemporary scholars believe that the concept of discovering the new continent of America has the European center Historical view Our prejudice should be abandoned. U.S.A historian Parry said: Columbus Has not found a new world; He just established a connection between two ancient worlds. More and more scholars now tend to adopt the concept of the meeting of two worlds (or two civilizations).

The diversity and complexity of Indian civilization. When Europeans arrived in America at the end of the 15th century, how many people lived in America Indian , due to the lack of statistics, so far there is no final conclusion. Indians are just a general term, and there are many branches among them. In the United States, the indigenous Indians are not a unified community: they are divided into more than 600 different tribes; Speak more than 200 different languages; Their bodies, shapes, skin colors, languages and beliefs are different; The development of civilization is uneven.

In the long history, the American Indians left behind quite a high level of ancient civilization. The planting and cultivation of various crops represented by corn has made it a world Agricultural civilization One of the cradles of; With the sun god Pyramid Represented by architectural art It is a wonderful flower in the history of world architectural art; Represented by eagle feather crest National costume , bright colors and exquisite workmanship, adding to the world's national culture Bright colors ； Nazca Wasteland Mysterious represented by giant paintings“ Sphinx’s riddle ”It still makes people feel mysterious, and encourages more scholars to explore and decipher.

Historical traceability

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Indian Civilization

Archaeological excavation has not been carried out yet America find Anthropoid ape Homo erectus and other human relatives can be relics. Recognized by historians Indian Is from Siberia American Mongolian 。 About 25000 years ago, they Bering Strait It landed on the islands of Alaska, and then gradually moved southward across the American continent. In Europe Colonist Before the invasion, Indians lived in the American continent from generation to generation and were the pioneers and masters of this region.

stay Mexico Archaeologists found human fossils 11000 years ago and found Paleolithic Culture. The history of America, for which there are exact data, began around 2300 BC. The period from 1250 BC to 200 AD is the period of pre classical culture in the Mexican Valley. The remains of those ancient cultures, such as pottery and clay figurines, indicate that the local tribes have begun to settle down for agriculture Management organization and Religious organizations 。

Flourished between 300 and 900 A.D Mayan Culture It is the peak of classical culture, living today Guatemala In the northeast of Paiteng Lake and Yucatan Peninsula The Mayans in the south created the only writing left by the Americas - Maya hieroglyphs , established a fairly accurate Solar calendar 。 Their use of the symbol "0" is a mathematical innovation. It was 800 years earlier than the Europeans, and the Maya people had high achievements in architecture, sculpture and painting. The walls, columns and stairs of their ancient temples and palaces are decorated with exquisite reliefs and carvings. The painting has magnificent colors and diverse themes, such as war scenes, celebrations and parades. Aztec and Inca Tribal alliance , the two major centers of American civilization in the 15th century. At that time, North America The Indians of Matriarchal clan The Aztecs and Incas have begun to class society Transition.

In the long history, the American Indians left behind quite a lot of ancient civilization 。 They cultivated corn and potatoes, built tall temples, and left words that are difficult to explain. However, their historical process is too slow. Just when they were in the transition to a class society, the Spaniards with golden dreams came.

Machu Picchu, the site of Inca residence, is now in Peru

The American continent was originally uninhabited, and the ancestors of Indians came from Asia Migrated. They entered America from North Asia about 40000 to 50000 years ago, and then gradually moved south, finally covering the entire American continent. In the long-term development, some relatively developed ethnic groups among Indians, such as Maya, Aztec and Inca, have entered the class society. Mayans live in southern Mexico and Central America One Belt. Since the first century BC, they have successively established hundreds of small towns, the largest of which is Tikal in Guatemala.

The Maya are in their Central Square Four tall temples have been built around. The highest one is 75 meters high, as high as a 20 story building. The Mayans were the first to cultivate corn, tomatoes, potatoes Sweet potato 、 Pepper , pumpkin and other crops.

Inca people live in South America ， Inca Empire Cuzco, the capital of Peru South) is also a large city with a population of 100000 to 200000. It uses huge stones to build city walls and palaces, which are very solid. The palace of Cusco has a lot of gold and silver Temple of the Sun It's very spectacular.

Aztecs are only rising stars in Indian civilization. About the 12th century Mexico Basin And build a strong country. Their capital, Tenochtitlan, therefore became the largest and most beautiful city in the Americas, with a population of 200000 to 300000. At that time, London had only tens of thousands of people. When the Spanish invaded, the Aztec country had about 6 million people. Greedy and brutal Spanish colonialists destroyed Indian civilization crazily.

Ethnic Overview

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Indian

The Indians are right Native American The general name of. The vast majority of Native Americans are Indians, distributed in the countries of North and South America, and traditionally classified as the Mongolian American branch. The languages spoken by Indians are generally called Indian , or called Native American languages 。 The ethnic groups and languages of Indians are very complex, and there is no recognized classification up to now.

Before the end of the 15th century, Indians had no unified name. When Italian navigator C. Columbus sailed to America in 1492, he mistook India for his destination, so he called the indigenous people here "Indians"（ Spanish : "indios"), although later generations found mistakes, the original address has become popular, so in English and other European languages, Indians are called "West Indians", and when necessary, the real Indians are called "East Indians" in order to distinguish. When translating into Chinese, the word "West Indian" is directly translated into "Indian" or "Indian", which avoids confusion and is still the most popular usage. However, in the 20th century, the status of Indians in many American countries has improved significantly. Some government agencies or civil organizations began to "correct" the name of "Indians", for example, in Canada, it is often called "more Politically correct Of“ First Nation ”(English: "First Nations") and so on.

The European colonists who came to America in the 16th century brought a devastating disaster to the local Indians. According to statistics, 13 million Indians were killed in the territory of Spain during the colonial period, Brazil About 10 million people were killed in the region, Trail of Tears Another 1 million Indians were killed. There are about 30 million Indians. A large number of Indians were enslaved or even slaughtered. Latin America Most of the male Indians have no descendants of the pure male series, and most of their mixed blood descendants are the descendants of male colonists and local women. and North America The situation was even worse. Indians were driven into Indian reservations, which accounted for less than 5% of the local population. In the United States, Indians only account for about 1% of the total population.

social formation

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The ruins of Indian civilization

Matriarchy The development stage of clan society is famous in the United States anthropologist Louis Morgan has investigated and studied the history and social customs of Indians for half a century. According to his research and on-the-spot investigation The social organization of North American Indians belongs to ancient times Gentile system 。 It is mainly in the development stage of matriarchal clan society, and some tribes Patriarchy form. The basic organizational forms are: clan Phratry , tribes, tribal alliances.

"Louis Morgan": Morgan (1818-1881) was born in New York, graduated from university in 1840, and was adopted by a Iroquois clan in 1847. In 1851, he published The Iroquois League, 1862, and 1877, respectively《 Ancient society 》In 1881, he published House and Family Life of Native Americans. The last two books are translated into Chinese. Engels spoke highly of Morgan's research achievements. Engels'《 The Origin of Family, Private Ownership and State 》(See Selected Works of Ma and En, Volume 4) is based on Morgan's research results.

Morgan on Indian society. When America was discovered, "there was no political society, no citizen, no country, no civilization. In terms of the original meaning of the word 'civilization', the most advanced American Indian tribes were still a whole distance away from the beginning of civilization Cultural period 。” (Morgan: Ancient Society, Volume I, page 65)

Tribal alliances have emerged. When America was discovered, there had been some tribal alliances, among which the Iroquois Alliance was the most advanced. Iroquois Alliance: The Iroquois Alliance is composed of five independent tribes. The territory of the Iroquois Alliance includes the current New York 、 Pennsylvania and Ohio Most of the region and Ontario Part of Canada on the north coast. Both farming and fishing And hunting. Other famous tribal alliances include: 6 tribes Crick Alliance and three tribes Ottawa The Union, the Dakota Union formed by the seven conference bonfires, and the Moki Union formed by the seven villages of New Mexico. To the south of the Iroquois League are the Algonquian tribes. Today New Mexico, Arizona Colorado The area is semi settled Pueblo Tribe, mainly collecting, hunting, planting corn peas and beans And pumpkin.

Research and discussion

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Indian Civilization -- Making Penholder

After more than 20000 years of differentiation and development, Indians have produced many different nationalities and languages. In history, Indians have established four empires, the most important of which is North America aztec empire And South American Inca Empire 。

The Mayans among the Indians invented the Mayan script, and their research on astronomy was also quite in-depth. Indians cultivated corn, potatoes, peppers Tomatoes , tobacco cocoa And other crops.

However, due to the persecution and killing of Indians and the destruction of Indian culture by western colonialists, there are few materials of ancient civilization left. However, research has attracted more and more attention from the archaeological community, and American countries have also begun to vigorously explore ancient Indian culture.

In addition, Indians were mistaken for red people because their skin was often red. It was later known that these reds were due to the wrong understanding of Indians who traditionally used to paint red on their faces.

Indian Civilization and American history Association of

Indian civilization cannot simply be equated with the "ancient history" of the United States

Two views: there are two different views on the relationship between Indian civilization and American history in academia. One view holds that the history of the Indians is an important part of American history and constitutes an ancient part of American history; Another point of view is tit for tat. It believes that Indian civilization is not directly related to American history and cannot be simply equated with the "ancient history" of the United States.

The main basis of the first view is:

(1) Indian culture is one of the ancient civilizations in the world world economy 、 Cultural development Have important contributions and influences;

(2) The United States is a Multi-ethnic country Indians are also one of the ethnic groups and the earliest inhabitants of the United States.

The main basis of the second view is:

(1) Although Indians had a certain influence on the development of world economy and culture, they had a great influence on the social politics, economy, ideology, culture and The development of religion , has no direct and decisive impact;

(2) American civilization is based on European science and technology, ideology, culture and religion, American Nation It's Europe Ethnic integration The product of. American history did not develop on the basis of Indian history. There is no necessary connection between the two.

(3) Even with Indian civilization as the beginning of American history, there is still a lack of slave society and feudal society There is still a long gap in the middle of the stage.

Great contribution to modern American civilization

North American Indians made great contributions to the rise of modern American civilization

1、 Indians are pioneers in developing North America Modern agriculture The founder of.

Today, more than 20 kinds of crops in the United States originate from the cultivation of Indians, such as corn, tobacco Sweet potato , potatoes sweet potato , peanuts, etc. Compared with the main methods of planting corn by Indians, modern agriculture has not changed much. The planting method of tobacco, and the method of sun or fire smoking and roasting are from Indians. Potatoes later spread to Europe. Indians know how to control Wild plant And seed selection, know how to apply fertilizer and Soil improvement , know how to use Syrup Or honey to preserve fruits, using artificial or sun Drying method Preserve fruits, vegetables and meat.

2、 Indians are the guides of European explorers and the ancestors of immigrants.

Indian Civilization

early stage North America The development of India and the enthusiastic help of Indians are inseparable. When Columbus arrived in San Salvador, he was warmly welcomed by the indigenous Indians on the island, called him "a man from heaven", and acted as his guide. At the beginning of their entry into North America, European immigrants were also treated kindly by Indians. Indians taught them to plant crops, cultivate land under the condition of trees and grass, use wild grass to make medicine, and use maple leaves to make syrup; Teach them to set traps to catch wild animals; Teach them fishing methods; Teach them to use smoke columns and torches as signs to explore the way and spread information; Teach them to make canoe So as to drive in the river bend. Even the cavalry formation warfare used during the Revolutionary War was also from Indians. National festivals that have been followed up to now--“ Thanksgiving "It is also related to Indians.

Thanksgiving Day: Winter 1620 England puritan Immigration to North America Massachusetts Bay Plymouth Colony When I was poor, I was hungry and cold. Friendly Indians extended a helping hand to teach white people how to fish, how to plant corn tomato , cocoa, tobacco and other crops to help them survive the harsh winter. In the autumn of the next year, the crops planted by the immigrants received a bumper harvest. In order to thank God for his care, and also to thank Indians for their generous help, immigrants held a party in October to celebrate the harvest. The local Indian chief was invited to lead nearly 100 people to participate in the celebration. The anniversary of harvest celebration has become one of the most important national festivals in the United States.

3、 The Indian civilization has added luster to the American national civilization.

Today, the number of American Indians is less than 1% of the total population, only 1.4 million. There are more than 20 states (some say 26, others say 34) in the United States, more than 1000 rivers, more than 200 lakes, and countless towns, hills, valleys, forests, parks, all of which use Indian names. for example Iowa 、 Massachusetts 、 Arkansas、Dakota、 Illinois 、 Oklahoma 、Utah、 Alabama 、 Arizona Tribal names derived from Indians. In addition, Ohio, Missouri, Conneticut, Potomac River, Michigan Lake, etc. Oklahoma means red land; Connecticut It means long river; Indiana It's Shawnee Miami Native American homeland. Mississippi River It also means Indian River. Appalachian Mountains It means people on the other side. Rocky Mountains It means "Stone Mountain". Milwaukee It means the land of joy. There are about 1700 Indian language words (including those directly borrowed and derived) borrowed from American English.

The self justification of white racists is not supported.

Development status

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Once mentioned Indian , most people's minds China Council Immediately show the top feathers and face Stationery , wearing a leather robe and a chest Beading , saying that no one can understand the language of the barbarian image. In fact, just like the Chinese people no longer wear braids, the Indians have long since lost their feathers. Moreover, many Indian families have cars.

Current situation: barely make a living

The long history and culture of Indians have produced many different nationalities and languages. USA only New Mexico There are 19 Indian villages (Pueblo), and each village has autonomy It has its own land and independent laws, policies and government. Acoma is a distinctive Indian village in New Mexico. It is called "Sky City" because it is built on high ground. The population in the village is not large and some people are lonely. The reporter only met a few people who set up stalls at their homes on the street and are selling to tourists Handmade Traditional Indian pottery. The reserve in Ekma is basically a large area of Gobi Desert, which is not suitable for the development of planting. But to develop mineral resources , which has caused fierce disputes in the local area. The proponents believe that it can promote the economic development of the reserve, while the opponents point out that it is against the Indian tradition. In order to solve the living problems of the ethnic group, the Ekma people have their own casinos in addition to developing tourism. Although the casino's income is good, after all, the economic source is too single to meet the needs of the village, such as hospitals, schools, etc communal facilities Maintenance, etc.

Reality: Encounter the impact of modern civilization

Indian Reserve There are many development problems, such as how to diversify the economy, how to create more employment opportunities, and how to solve the problems of medical care, pension and education of Indians. However, the biggest problem is how to protect the Indians traditional culture 。 Chi Nuo, director of the Labor Bureau of New Mexico, told reporters that about 60% of Indians chose to live in cities at present because they could not find employment opportunities in the reserved land. After finishing college, many young Indian people want to return to the reserve and help their hometown develop economy and culture, but they have to face the embarrassing situation of "learning is useless".

Chi Nuo himself is a typical example. As New Mexico State Government The highest ranking aborigine in the University of New Mexico 、 Princeton University and Harvard University Studied and later engaged in TV News He has worked for more than 20 years. When talking about his original choice, Chi Nuo was full of helplessness. Chi Nuo said that after graduating from college, he was eager to find a good job and create a better life for his family, so he had to give up the opportunity to return to the reserve and stay in Alberto, the largest city in New Mexico. Chi Nuo said that the result of leaving the reserve is to be far away from the language and culture of his tribe. On the reserve, Indian children are exposed to the wilderness, sand and stone Adobe Architecture, learn Indian culture; In modern cities, they are fascinated by the Internet, games and Hollywood 。 It is self-evident which is more attractive. Chi Nuo said that his tribal language has been drowned out in the English world.

Helplessness: Indian culture is on the verge of extinction

Indians have recognized this problem seriousness 。 The Beatles, who worked in the hotel, would take their children back to the reserve every weekend, let them know different animals and plants, and let them learn the Indian way of work in the farmland. As the director of the state labor bureau, Chi Nuo also tried to pass on his own culture to the next generation, but he could only take his children back to the reserve every weekend Go to see 。

Chi Nuo estimated that in 50 years, less than 5% of Indians may still speak their own language. At the annual "Paowa Party" of Indians Canada The Indians are even more pessimistic about this. He said that 50 years later, I am afraid that even the shadow of Indian culture can not be found. He has two children, but none of them can speak their own tribal language.

Facing the cultural world dominated by English, Indians also made great efforts to fight against it. In Ekma Village, many households have cars in their homes, but there is no running water or electricity. Local people told reporters that the reason why they maintain this status quo is to protect their traditional way of life. However, to their frustration, there are only a few "old, weak, sick and disabled" left in the village. Moreover, even if they took the trouble to bring their children back to the reserve every week, they still had to face the reality that in the Indian reserve, most schools Language of instruction It is still in English.

Historical position

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Indians are by no means the symbol of ignorance and backwardness in the world Maya The ancient American civilization, represented by the civilizations created by Astek and Inca people, independently emerged and developed on the vast land of the Americas, and has made remarkable achievements. Just as Burns and Ralph were《 History of World Civilization 》If they were not conquered, they could lay a foundation for the development of their own culture in Central and South America, which is comparable to that of any other continent.

Indian civilization has a strong vitality. It has come down in one continuous line from ancient times to the present. Although it was ruthlessly destroyed after the invasion of European colonialists, it has no discontinuity. Indian civilization plays an important role in the history of world civilization. Indians created the most splendid ancient civilization in America. After the arrival of European colonialists, they were unable to fully assimilate it, but after a short conflict with it, they adopted a compromise and conciliatory attitude. On the one hand, they retained the Indian as the carrier of civilization Village community And Indians, on the other hand, have mixed race and culture with Indians, and the gorgeous American nature is aboriginal culture As a result of the soil on which they depend, Indian civilization survived tenaciously despite being severely destroyed.

Indian Civilization Heritage to Modern America material civilization and Spiritual civilization The construction of Not to be ignored Especially after entering the 20th century, the civilization of indigenous Indians became the source of American civilization. The urban architecture of some American countries has obvious characteristics of indigenous Indian architecture. For example, in Peru The walls of many buildings in Cusco are decorated with tiger, snake and other patterns, some Catholic Monastery Some Indian techniques and forms have also been adopted in the construction of. Some daily necessities are also made with the skills of indigenous Indians, for example, in Mexico, the traditional Indian feather mosaic method was used to make Catholic icon paintings. It is even easier to find traces of Indian craftsmanship on pottery, lacquerware, farm tools and gold and silver products in some parts of the Americas.

Indian epilogue The Status of Indian Culture in the History of World Civilization Oprah Party of Peru Founder of Aya Dratore It points out that the existence of Indians is a feature of the American continent, and the most appropriate name of America should be "Indian America". American culture is a mixed culture, and Indian culture is one of the strongest colors.

Indian civilization is new to America national consciousness The awakening of National spirit It is of great significance to form the national culture and rebuild the local characteristics of national culture. However, it is undeniable that the pre Columbian civilization of Indians was significantly lower than that of European civilization at that time Development level This is why European colonists were able to interrupt the process of Indian civilization and impose their own civilization on Indians. In the face of the dominant European civilization, some Indians were integrated through racial mixture and cultural blending Mainstream society Some Indians tenaciously resisted the assimilation of European culture and retained their own social organization Form, language religious belief and sense of worth Ideas, principles, folk knowledge and unique artistic style cultural heritage They did not really participate in the politics and civil life Is on the edge of modern society.

stay globalization In the context of, human society Is experiencing a huge social change Many traditional historical cultures and civilizations are also disappearing, but Indians have a strong sense of protecting traditional culture. The heritage of Indian civilization has become a force that cannot be ignored and is playing an important role in the later historical evolution.

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