Atlas of the North American Indian

by Carl Waldman

Traces the history of the Indians of North America and discusses the cultures, migrations, and wars of the major Indian tribes.

Genres: History, Native American, Nonfiction, Reference, Atlases, Anthropology, American History

385 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Carl Waldman is a freelance writer who divides his time between the streets of New York City and the hills of upstate New York. He is the author of a number of reference books on Native Americans, including Atlas of the North AmericanIndian, Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes, and Biographical Dictionary of American Indian History to 1900. He co-authored other books on history and popular culture, including Encyclopedia of Exploration, Encyclopedia of European Peoples, The Art of Magic, Elvis Immortal, and Forever Sinatra. He also has cowritten several screenplays, including an episode of Miami Vice for NBC and The Legend of Two Path, a drama about the Native American side of Raleigh’s Lost Colony, shown at Festival Park on Roanoke Island in North Carolina. His hobbies include music and he has played in a number of bands and has worked with young people in music workshops. Streetscape is his first mystery.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chronological book, starting with Paleo-Indians. Then Mesoamerica, the Southwest, and The Mound Builders. A single chapter breaks down all the major sections (Northeast, Southeast,... Arctic, Mesoamerican and Circum-Caribbean Culture areas).

About 1/3 of this book then goes into all the various Indian Wars.
The taking of the native lands are detailed.
A section on Activism and Natives today end the book, but it is really too short.

The appendix is 140 pages!
- Chronology of Native Prehistory and History (timeline by year through 2008) 24 pgs
- Native Nations of the US and Canada (w Languages and Locations) 21 pgs - I wish there was a map here!
- Contemporary Native Nations in the US (w Reservation) 22 pgs - again, I wish for a map denoting locations
- Contemporary Canadian First Nations 12 pgs - map please!!
Major Native Place-Names in the US and Canada - 30 pgs - map needed!!
Museums, Historical Sites and Archaeological Sites- 15 pgs - map needed!!
Glossary - good - 10 pgs
Bibliography 7 pgs - fantastic collection!

I like that this book has a bit more about Mexico and the Caribbean

[Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an atlas in the sense that it's geographically organized, and provides maps which illustrate the majority of the topical entries. It's also a bit of an encyclopedia, though it is divided into large chapters and can be read as an extended narrative. The information is straightforward and factual, and the last chapter provides a precis of contemporary Indian culture--organizations, pow-wows, etc.

Waldman's book has been updated a number of times, and this review is of the 3rd edition, published in 2009. The research would have been up to date as of that time, but there are other more recent titles such as The Historical Atlas of Native Americans by Ian Barnes, 2019, or Atlas of Indian Nations from National Geographic, 2014.

[Glenn Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I bought this, my expectation was not much as many of these types are very generic and light. This book far surpassed my expecations. Written with the Native American reader in mind, pointing out the treaty violations, the outright massacres (yes, both sides and tribe on tribe) and current events that are usually missing. The arts, the leaders, the economy and more. This also covers Canada, which many books usually forget. Well done.

[Suzy Karman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad to see the mention of Lacrosse - this isn't something widely taught in school, or even mentioned at all in general

Overall I love this book and the wealth of information it provides - a definite keeper for the long haul

[R.K. Cowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

[Beth Melillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used this book as a reference and homeschooling material for an eighth grader who loves maps so that we could learn about Indigenous Tribes and Indian Removal and US Expansion between 1800 - 1850.

We dipped into a few chapters, sections, and enjoyed scanning through the maps and illustrations. Reading this book in full would be a years-long project, I think. The book was well laid out, provided the answers to the types of questions we were asking about daily life, political action, and geography.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It should be a text book and I would love to take the class. Extremely detailed and broad coverage.

I didn't read every word, it is huge but very interesting.

[Jessica]

Title:
Atlas of the North American Indian, Revised Edition

Item Call Number:

Location:

Description:
This unique and best-selling resource offers the most comprehensive coverage available in a single volume. History, culture, languages, and lifeways of Native American groups across the United States and Canada, and the early civilizations of Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico are covered.

Relevance and Relationship:
This edition includes many political and cultural developments in Indian affairs and the latest archaeological research findings on prehistoric people. It would be an excellent resource for students when doing research for a class project or assignment.

Purpose:
The purpose of this reference resource is to add to the selection of resources available to meet diversity needs. This edition includes many political and cultural developments in Indian affairs and the latest archaeological research findings on prehistoric people. It would be an excellent resource for students when doing research for a class project or assignment.

Validity:
Several positive reviews.

Format:
276 pages with illustrations
Contents--
Ancient Indians
Ancient civilizations
Indian lifeways
Indians and explorers
Indian wars
Indian land cessions
Contemporary Indians
Appendixes. Chronology of North American Indian history
Indian tribes of the United States and Canada with historical and contemporary locations
Federal and state Indian reservations, trust areas, and native villages in the United States
Indian bands in Canada
Major Indian place names in the United States and Canada
Museums, historical societies, reconstructed villages, and archaeological sites pertaining to Indians in the United States and Canada.

Arrangement and Presentation:
This edition features:
-- Completely redrawn and updated maps throughout; sixteen maps are new to this edition
-- Extensively revised and updated sections, including "Urban Indians, " "Indian Activism, " and "Canada's Indian Policy and the Indian Condition"
-- The latest statistics and new federal laws on tribal enterprises such as "Indian Gaming."

Diversity:
This reference resource definitely brings diversity into the media center’s collection by introducing students to the world of the Native American Indians.

[John Humber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up quite a few years ago, on a visit to the US, in a used-book shop in Minneapolis. I don’t recall what I paid for it but whatever it was it was worth it.

It is, as has been said here already, comprehensive and extensive although—for the majority of us probably—it’s something one dips into from time to time rather than something one reads from cover to cover. I confess that I can’t think of a better way, but I did find the organisation of the text a little annoying—but only a little—although the various chapters are fairly well cross-referenced.

Probably my major complaint would be the maps. For economic reasons these are restricted to two-colour printing. Fine but some of them contain such a lot of information that this means the various devices used (different tones/textures/patterns etc.), are very similar and I don’t think that the two-colour process has been used to best effect.

The appendix is very thorough (chronology, tribal locations, reservations &co., &co.) but these are—again I suspect, for production reasons—presented as one when they would have been better divided into a series of appendices.

Overall this is an excellent book only slightly marred by its shortcomings.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great reference book about North and South American Indians dating back thousands of years. For any LDS out there, read the chapter on Meso- America, where we knew Nephi landed. It will not surprise you but delight you to see actual reference books now showing archaeological proof of how one could have gotten there by boat, the theocracies there, tiles and decor only found here and in the middle east, temples, etc. Truly fascinating.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, but needs a better editor. Spelling was edited, however editor obviously didn't have knowledge if the subject. Example, a certain tribe resided in Norteastern Washington, Northern Idaho and Northeastern Montana according to the edit. Should have been Northwestern Montana. Knowledgeable editor would have caught that.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have the edition shown in the picture, but I always planned to get it. My current one is nearly worn out. The maps are wonderful.

[Ernie Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third edition which is a veritable tome. It has a tremendous amount of information but is a tedious read.

[Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my native american indian class this book was the perfect companion for anything relating to native people. Fact or fiction this allows anyone to find new information

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

lots of information on wars and the rebellions