History Reads

“First Frontier” covers the history of the relations between Native Americans and Europeans from the time of first contact through Pontiac’s Rebellion.  Although some attention is given to the Spanish and French settlers, the majority of the story centers around the English and Native Americans.  It also discusses some of the very early contact with Europeans, pre-Columbus, and the devastating impact that contact had on the Indians as they were exposed to disease for which they had no naturally immunity yet.  It’s estimated that well over half the native American population pre-“Contact” was killed by disease even before the Europeans started arriving in larger numbers.

The book discusses the many conflicts during the Colonial time, from King Phillip’s War, through the various “French and Indian Wars” and finally Pontiac.   I did learn of the Yamasee War involving Southern Indian tribes and South Carolina in 1751.  The book states that this war was the largest American Indian uprising against any colonial power and it nearly accomplished what no other native uprising did-the elimination of a colonial threat. Like most of the major uprisings it was neither centrally plan nor centrally led.  And therein was the weakness of all the Indian conflicts, in that the Europeans were able to exploit the divisions between the various tribes and turn some against the other. It was seen again and again, first in King Phillip’s War, then in the Yamasee War and especially in the French and Indian War when the English were finally able to turn the Ohio tribes in their favor.

I give a strong recommendation to this book.