Summary Of Tennessee Indian History: Creativity And Power

There will always be conflicting views on our history. Many have debated when our history actually starts. Was it with the arrival of the Europeans, or did it begin earlier? Dr. John Finger pondered this same question in his article, “Tennessee Indian History: Creativity and Power,” he also successfully answered this question. Our history begun with those Native Americans and how throughout all of the obstacles thrown their way, they managed to adapt and at times thrive. This is why the history of Tennessee and its inhabitants must begin with Native Americans.
Dr. Finger discussed in his article how the Indians were more than just pawns or in the way in our history. They were an extremely important part in our history. From the first Indians to the last, they left an imprint in Tennessee. Historians are able to look back and see the artifacts left from these first Indians and to see their traditions. As Dr. Finger pointed out in his article, some popular motifs were also found by archaeologists in the Mississippian areas that point to the importance of Indians in our history. …show more content…
Instead of fighting all of the changes, they found ways to make peace with the settlers. They began to trade pelts and other goods with the settlers for guns and other things that they were not able to make on their own. Trade was not something new for the Native Americans though, but the ability to trade with the Europeans influenced their lives and was just another way they adapted to the change around them. This was not always a good thing though, and as one can see, did lead to war the greedier the Europeans