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The same holds good upon the plains, The celebrated Pawnee tribe of some 10,000 souls in 1838 is now reduced to 650; the Kansas of 1500 within the same period have now 200 souls, and the aborigines of Texas, numbering in 1700 perhaps some 40,000 souls in many small tribes with distinct languages, is extinct except for some 900 Caddo, Wichita, and Tonkawa. The last-named, estimated at 1,000 in 1805, numbered 700 in 1849, 300 in 1861, 108 in 1882, and 48 in 1908, including several aliens. In California the aboriginal population has decreased within the same period from perhaps a quarter of a million to perhaps 15,000, and nearly the same proportion of decrease holds good along the whole Pacific coast into Alaska. Not only have tribes dwindled, but whole linguistic stocks have become extinct within the historic period. The only apparent exceptions to the general rule of decay are the Iroquois, Sioux, and Navaho, the first two of whom have kept up their number by wholesale adoptions, while the Navaho have been preserved by their isolation. The causes of decrease may be summarized as: (1) introduced diseases and dissipation, particularly smallpox, sexual disease, and whiskey; (2) wars, also hardship and general enfeeblement consequent upon frequent removals and enforced change from accustomed habitat. The present Indian population north of Mexico is approximately 400,000, or whom approximately 265,000 are within the United States proper.

Other  native Americans

The Eskimo (Inuit and Yupiit) and Aleuts are people of the treeless shores and tundra-covered coastal hinterlands of northernmost North America and Greenland and the eastern tip of the Chukchi Peninsula of Siberia. Custom alone designates them Eskimo and Aleuts rather than American Indians like all other native Americans, from whom they are distinguished principally by their language.

 The Eskimo are an Asian people who are distinguishable from the American Indians by their more Asian features, by the relative smallness of their hands and feet, and by a few less obvious traits.

Eskimo culture was totally adapted to an extremely cold, snow- and icebound environment in which vegetable foods were almost nonexistent, trees were scarce, and caribou, seal, walrus, and whale meat, whale blubber, and fish were the major food sources. The Eskimo used harpoons to kill seals, which they hunted either on the ice or from skin-covered, one-person canoes known as kayaks. Whales were hunted using larger boats called umiaks. In the summer most Eskimo families hunted caribou and other land animals with the help of bows and arrows. Dogsleds were the basic means of transport on land. Eskimo clothing was fashioned of caribou furs, which provided protection against the extreme cold. Most Eskimo wintered in either snow-block houses called igloos or semisubterranean houses of stone or sod over wooden or whalebone frameworks. In summer many Eskimo lived in animal-skin tents. Their b asic social and economic unit was the nuclear family, and their religion was animistic.

Eskimo life changed greatly in the 20th century owing to increased contacts with societies to the south. Snowmobiles have generally replaced dogs for land transport, and rifl es have replaced harpoons for hunting purposes. Outboard motors, store-bought clothing, and numerous other manufactured items have entered the culture, and money, unknown in traditional Eskimo economy, has become a necessity. Many Eskimo have abandoned their nomadic hunting pursuits to move into northern towns and cities or to work in mines and oil fields. Others, particularly in Canada, have formed cooperatives to market their handicrafts, fish catches, and ventures in tourism.

Aleut - a native of the Aleutian Islands and western portion of the Alaska Peninsula of northwest North America. Aleuts speak three mutually intelligible dialects and are closely related to the Eskimo in language, race, and culture. The earliest people, the Paleo-Aleuts, arrived in the Aleutian Islands from the Alaskan mainland about 2000 BC. The Aleuts hunted seals, sea otters, whales, sea lions, sometimes walrus, and, in some areas, caribou and bears. Fish, birds, and mollusks were also taken. One-man and two-man skin boats known as bidarkas, or kayaks, and large, open, skin boats (Eskimo umiaks) were used. Aleut women wove fine grass basketry; stone, bone, and ivory were also worked. Ancient Aleut villages were situated on the seashore near fresh water, with a good landing for boats and in a position safe from surprise attack from other Aleuts or neighbouring tribes. Villages were usually composed of related families. A chief might govern several villages or an island, but there was no chief over all Aleuts or even over several islands.

Epilogue

A long time ago North America was very different from the way it is today. There were no highways, cars, or cities. There were no         schools, malls, or restaurants. But even long, long ago, there were still communities. People made their own  homes, food, and clothing from the plants and animals they found around them.

Americans today owe a great deal to the First Americans. Over half of the states and many of the cities, rivers and streets still have Native Americans names. Nearly 550 Indian words are part of everyday English. Many foods, such as potatoes, corn, peanuts, turkey, tomatoes, cocoa, beans were borrowed by later settlers from the Native Americans. It was from the Indians that other Americans learned how to use rubber.

In fact without the help of the Native Americans many other early settlers might never have survived.

In conclusion I would like to cite the words of George W. Bush, today’s President of the U.S., which he said in National American Indian Heritage Month proclamation, dated November 19, 2001:

“As the early inhabitants of this great land, the native peoples of North America played a unique role in the shaping of our Nation's history and culture. During this month when we celebrate Thanksgiving, we especially celebrate their heritage and the contributions of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples to this Nation. [ …] American Indian and Alaska Native cultures have made remarkable contributions to our national identity. Their unique spiritual, artistic, and literary contributions, together with their vibrant customs and celebrations, enliven and enrich our land.

As we move into the 21st century, American Indians and Alaska Natives will play a vital role in maintaining our Nation's strength and prosperity. Almost half of America's Native American tribal leaders have served in the United States Armed Forces, following in the footsteps of their forebears who distinguished themselves during the World Wars and the conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf. […]

During National American Indian Heritage Month, I call on all Americans to learn more about the history and heritage of the Native peoples of this great land. Such actions reaffirm our appreciation and respect for their traditions and way of life and can help to preserve an important part of our culture for generations yet to come. “

Список литературы

Encyclopaedia Britannica, electronic edition, 1999

Gilbert Legay, Atlas of Indians of Northern America, Barrons Educ, 1995

Keith C. Wilbur, The New England Indians, The Globe Pequot Press, 1978

Bryn O’Calladhan, An Illustrated Hystory of the USA, Longman, 1990

V.M. Pavlotsky, American studies, Karo, St.- Pt., 2000

http://www.first-americans.spb.ru/n4/win/current.htm – Russian Pages of American Indian Almanac

http://www.nativetech.org - Native American technologies and art

http://etext.virginia.edu/subjects/Native-American.html – electronic texts by and about American Indians

http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/start.htm – very useful encyclopaedia

http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/k12/naha/maps/nausa.html – tribe finder

http://www.infoplease.com – statistics and useful data