Agriculture Techniques Used By Native Americans

Starting in 1492, a whole new world was discovered. A world based on the idea that the Earth is a power not to be disrespected. From this world spawned the many who walked among it. An estimated 562 different Native American tribes covered this new world, but they did not control it. Instead, they let the world control them.
I am Nathan Witt. My grandfather is JW Witt, a proud member of the Comanche tribe. This tribe was one of many which is credited with altering our perspective of agriculture for generations.
Native Americans are often associated with the idea of a ruthless brute, but in actuality, without them, agriculture as we know it, and possibly even America itself, may have never existed. Eve Emshwiller, an assistant professor of botany at University of Wisconsin-Madison, stands to say, “We have always talked about hunter-gatherers as if one day they were gathering food and noticed a plant growing from a seed and thought, ‘We could gather seeds and start farming,’ as if this brilliant idea happened all of a sudden.” …show more content…
Native Americans knew so much about the way of the land that many techniques they have used for centuries are just now beginning to be considered agriculturally significant. A prime example is the Three Sisters, a technique used by Native Americans to secure soil quality, and improve quantity of production using three common agricultural products: corn, beans, and squash. This worked by the corn providing a long stalk for the beans to grow on. Then the squash covered a large surface area on the ground which prevented weed build up around the plants. (Schneider, 2014) Scientists today are still astounded by the discoveries of a civilization multiple years behind modern understanding of