Macro regional coalescent societies began to emerge in the late 1550’s out of the shatter zone period and are dominant in the Mississippi south throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Coalescent societies build on what was left from the chiefdom era. Decline in chiefdoms, changes in nature and the environment, and disease transfer all contribute to the shatter zone period, but perhaps changes in pre existing trade networks and patterns did the most to change cultural aspects for life of Native Americans in the southeast.[1] This paper will examine the rise of coalescent societies through a case study of the Choctaw people and explore how trading patterns were a crucial part of Native American culture.
From first encounters with …show more content…
In Western Europe, patriarchal societies were dominant. Women in native societies would sometimes marry European settlers as a way to bring Europeans into native kin groups.[25] In addition, European traders who married native women gained immediate advantages, however created lasting problems for both societies. When native women entered in marriages with European men, both had conflicting ideas on what each party would bring to the party. Women in native society were the head of the household, meaning that when children were born they would take on the linage of the mother. In most cases the brother of the mother would raise the child. In native societies, “father” in this case would most likely be tending to the children of his sister. [26] Because of conflicting ideas of roles in the marriages, children from native and European unions often came with unique challenges. Some European traders may have responded to differences in ideas of social customaries by taking their children from the mother and to be raised in Charles Town. In March 1715, Reverend William Osborne of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel describes children of European Traders and Indian women as molatto.[27] A challenge that European traders faced if they wished to take their children away from the mother 's influence, they also risked offending the kin members and trade network. If the kin members believed the European trader violated the rights and responsibility of the marriage, trade networks could be destroyed. For this reason, women played an important role in providing diplomatic services where women brought outside traders into their kinships trading networks in order to secure benefits from the trade relationships for the whole
From first encounters with …show more content…
In Western Europe, patriarchal societies were dominant. Women in native societies would sometimes marry European settlers as a way to bring Europeans into native kin groups.[25] In addition, European traders who married native women gained immediate advantages, however created lasting problems for both societies. When native women entered in marriages with European men, both had conflicting ideas on what each party would bring to the party. Women in native society were the head of the household, meaning that when children were born they would take on the linage of the mother. In most cases the brother of the mother would raise the child. In native societies, “father” in this case would most likely be tending to the children of his sister. [26] Because of conflicting ideas of roles in the marriages, children from native and European unions often came with unique challenges. Some European traders may have responded to differences in ideas of social customaries by taking their children from the mother and to be raised in Charles Town. In March 1715, Reverend William Osborne of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel describes children of European Traders and Indian women as molatto.[27] A challenge that European traders faced if they wished to take their children away from the mother 's influence, they also risked offending the kin members and trade network. If the kin members believed the European trader violated the rights and responsibility of the marriage, trade networks could be destroyed. For this reason, women played an important role in providing diplomatic services where women brought outside traders into their kinships trading networks in order to secure benefits from the trade relationships for the whole