Indian New England 1524-1674: A Compendium of Eyewitness Accounts of Native American Life (Heritage of New England Series)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0942147073 ISBN 13: 9780942147070

Publisher: Branch Line Pr, 1999

Early European visitors to New England frequently wrote of their experiences in journals, letters, and travelogues. In Indian New England, editor Ronald Dale Karr has made many of these fascinating first-hand descriptions accessible to modern readers. Drawn from 22 sources written between 1524 and 1674, numerous excerpts are organized topically to tell the story of Native American life in New England as chronicled by the explorers, soldiers, and observers who made first contact. With spelling and punctuation modernized, the authors' original language has been otherwise preserved, giving the reader a strong sense of the writers' perspectives. Illustrations of actual New England Indian artifacts drawn by Mr. Karr's daughters add further dimension to the reader's experience.

About the Author:

Editor Ronald Dale Karr is a reference librarian at the University of Massachusetts Lowell where he also teaches a course in New England history. A graduate of Bucknell University, he holds a Ph.D. in history from Boston University and an M.S. in library science from Simmons College. He has authored numerous historical articles and two rail history books. His current research is in early New England history, including Indian relations and the origins of the Pequot War.

Review:

Through these engaging first-hand accounts, Ronald Dale Karr shows that newcomers and natives had more in common than we might have thought. Indian New England offers insightful glimpses into Indian life and culture in the early Northeast; it also reveals much about the European newcomers who observed them. --Daniel J.Tortora, Professor of American History, Colby College