In chapter one, “In the Beginning: The World of Native Americans,” the plight of the indigenous peoples of the Americas is uncovered and discussed without reservation. Rather than reporting that America was discovered, as has been published by many other history books, Carroll promotes a different opinion. He took the position that the American continent was hardly a vacant territory waiting to be discovered, but was the home of many diverse organized societies (Carroll 2). The Americas were already occupied by the Algonquian, …show more content…
First, there was a great respect for place in relation to history; place mattered more than when. Thus, they did not view history relative to chronological time (date or year), but as an acknowledgment of a significant place (Carroll 15). Additionally, they also held a great reverence for spiritual awareness. Native Americans sought spiritual guidance in several areas from shamans (spiritual guides) including hunting, farming, and above all else curing sickness and disease (Carroll 18). In concluding the chapter, Carroll states, “The competition between Native Americans and Europeans for the land and resources of North America would last for centuries… Steadily, however, European diseases, technologies, and an expansionist ideology shifted from Native Americans to invading colonizers (Carroll