Resilient Cultures

Provides a comparative perspective on the impact of early European colonization on the native peoples of the Americas.

Resilient Cultures examines the character of the indigenous cultures of the Americas before European contact and then considers the impact of colonization by the Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, and English as well as the creative ways in which indigenous cultures adapted to colonization.

The text explores such issues as environmental change, the nature of military conflicts, the cultural and material contributions of each side to the other, the importance of economic exchanges, and demographic transformations.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this book readers will be able to:

• Understand the impact of European colonization on the native societies of the Americas
• Explain how native cultures were transformed by the unprecedented pressures placed on them by the European settlements
• Discuss the ways local indigenous people influenced the course of colonial history, affecting the economies, cultures, and social patterns of the European settlers