While it sometimes feels like it's overstating it's position to make it's point, there's no doubt that both the natural resources and cultural contributions from the Americas had profound influences on the development of our current civilization. A predecessor to Charles Mann's 1491 and 1493 (those books published in 2006 and 2011, this one's from 1988), Weatherford's Indian Givers covers a lot of the same territory - particularly when it comes to the effects of America's silver on the world economy and cultivated agricultural products on the way the world eats. What it adds (for readers of Mann's books) is a number of chapters on the cultural contributions Natives gave in terms of our society's appreciation for freedom, democracy and political thought.

Books like this should be required reading; our society really needs to develop a greater appreciation of native culture and contributions, and develop an appreciation for just how much was lost due to Western culture's need to exploit. We need to lose the story that Natives were poor primitives that were unfortunately overrun, and understand that they had advanced, thriving cultures that were deliberately almost destroyed - cultures that still have a lot to contribute.

I really appreciated this book and its approach to Indians of the Americas and all the contributions they have made to our world. I had difficulty reading the book, maybe because I thought it was dated, maybe because is was packed with so much information I often couldn't process it all. He is a good story teller and in parts of the book I was intrigued. In retrospect, having met the author through Zoom with my book group, I appreciated it much more and probably would rate it a 38. Jack Weatherford is an anthropologist who has traveled extensively, lives in Mongolia most of the time since he has retired from teaching and is still writing. A decent human being who is optimistic and charming.

This book will give a a respect for the contribution of native americans on your life you never thought possible.

This book made me proud to be an American--and even more aware that my family's migration from Europe to America may have stemmed from the dramatic innovations of Native Americans!

There are so many fascinating wrinkles to history this book brings out, I can't recommend it highly enough. I think I learned more about my European roots through Weatherford's reflections on Native American advancements than I could have from any history of Europe. From metals to agriculture to medicine, Native Americans revolutionized the world and paved the way for the Industrial Revolution.

I was particularly taken with Weatherford's insights into the influence of the Iroquois Nation on the U.S. Constitution. I had always wondered about the unique form of federalized democracy we had here, which I had previously ascribed to the genius of the Founding Fathers. Weatherford brought out many parallels with the Iroquois (who were among the first to recommend that American colonists unite--if for any other reason than that the Indians could negotiated with one State/Colony rather than multiple ones.

My own family's flight from Germany to the United States in 1898 may have had its seeds sown in the Andes Mountains, where Native Americans developed various forms of potato. Weatherford points out how German rulers encouraged/forced German peasants to adopt the potato (a better, more reliable, more calorie-dense food source) by taxing and closing mills for grinding flour. From family history, I know that my ancestors were millers at one point, although the family slipped into more working-class jobs right around the time of Frederick the Great (who, by the way, didn't rule the Badener region where we lived).

Either way, this is a fascinating book. It is a little dated, with references to the Soviet Union and marxist revolutionary movements, but it's insights are still important today.

An excellent overview of the contributions of Native Americans to World History and the role they held in it, one that is almost universally dismissed. This book is a perfect example of why the Euro-Centric modern history curriculum needs to be challenged. Overall easy to read and comprehensive the author makes a few claims that felt unsubstantiated that leave you wanting more details.

For some reason this was not an easy read for me, even though I found the subject matter very interesting.
The numerous contributions native Americans have given to the world we live in is beyond impressive.

Very fascinating book. The author did a lot of research. The book tells of the influence that American (both North and South) Indians have had on the world, and shows how our high school history books have omitted 99% and the other 1% is greatly slanted...against all American indigenous peoples. From. modern medicine, agriculture, architecture, to our democratic way of life, the Indians achieved a great level of sophistication....most of that has been forgotten, or just buried, deliberately.

Each chapter deals with a separate subject. I love the one that tells of how potatoes, chocolate, and chilies left the Americas, and traveled the world, now to be know as mainstays of different countries/continents. The terrible parts of the book deal with how most of these indigenous peoples now live in poverty and are 'assumed' to be less than bright, after they gave us so much knowledge.

Great job, Mr. Weatherford!!!

Indian Givers
How the Indians of the America Transformed the World
By Anthropologist Jack Weatherford.

Ironically the term “Indian giver” is a familiar term is in reference to a person that gives a gift and then takes it back. However, this old adage has nothing to do with the title of this book.

A remarkable read. A groundbreaking book that recovers the fascinating history of the Americas and the crucial contributions that the Indians of the Americas made on a global scale. These include democratic institutions, modern medicine, agriculture, architecture, and ecology. Interestingly, the Indians of the America’s were the first to harvest some sixty percent of foods eaten in the world today. Imagine if you will Italian or Greek food without its tomatoes or the Irish without their potatoes. Chilies, chocolate, corn, beans, squashes, the list goes on. Not to mention the wealth of gold and silver that was taken from the Americas by the Europeans.

My commentary below (apart from the book).

Even though much was given. So much more was taken. Over 500 treaties were made with the Indians of the Americas—and more than 500 broken.

Flash forward to this twenty-first century—the fall of 2016—North Dakota. Tribes of Native Americans from around the country gathering together, protesting an oil pipeline that will run through the heart of the U.S., crossing many waterways with the potential of damaging the largest aquifer in the country.The Native Americans are the heart of this country. They view this land as sacred and are working to protect it. There is no “other” planet. This is it. We all need to appreciate this sacredness before its too late.

Pray for peace, love, and understanding,
Zee Huxley
www.zeehuxley.com

Very well done audiobook. I found the book extremely well researched providing the reader lots of information to better understand how the native American Indians were responsible for many of our present day advantages we have. Very good read.

The subject of food that came from the American Indians is surprisingly interesting. It was a gift and I read it three or four times.

Really interesting ideas presented here. Worthy reading for anyone interested in colonialism, early American history, or cultural studies.

Most readers will be surprised to discover how many things we take for granted in the fields of food, medecine, economics etc. that did not exist before the discoveries of the Americas. Well-written, individual chapters delve into these topics and others.

One of the chapters led to a personal epiphany for me. My favorite style of church architecture is romanesque, and in Europe I have always sought out the pure, sparse beauty of these medieval churches. Sometimesthe Romaesque is hard to find, because it's original loveliness has been hidden beneath later massive Gothic additions Since my first trip to Europe, I intensely disliked the Baroque and Rococco styles, though I never stopped wonder why these churches, dripping with gold, made me want to run back out the door.

When I read the chapter on mining in Weatherford's book, all of a sudden I understood. I
nstead of feelng uplifted by the Baroque churches, I had felt the pain of thousands of indigenous South Americans, forced into the gold mines, and plundered by the Spaniards.