Antique Maps of the United States - Indian Territory Maps CD
	Over 75+ rare and antique maps of Indian Territories that provide an absorbing study of Red Indian history. Early European explorers were amazed to find that the new land they had "discovered" was already home to natives whom they dubbed Red Indians. They were also to find that these natives belonged to a diverse set of distinct tribes and regions. Where did these natives come from? How did they get there?

Historians have reasons to believe that these tribes originated in eastern Asia - China, Japan, India, and even Polynesia. It is believed that these migrants arrived in North America via three possible routes - the Bering Strait, the Aleutian Islands, and Polynesia. Of these three, the Bering Strait is believed to be the most plausible route. By the time European settlers arrived in North America, however, these early migrants had organized themselves into distinct tribes and governed well-defined territories. Chiefly hunters by occupation, these early Americans lived off the land - hunting bison and other wild life that were found in abundance.

The natives did not take kindly to the intrusion when pioneers set out westwards to claim land and settle down in their new homeland. Wars were frequent, but the settlers had guns and were better equipped for war. The natives had no choice but to relent and give up their ancestral hunting grounds. The pain that they experienced in so doing is epitomized in the following poem submitted by Tommy Flamewalker Manasco:

Where Will Our Children Live...

A lonesome warrior stands in fear of what the future brings,
he will never hear the beating drums or the songs his brothers sing.

Our many nations once stood tall and ranged from shore to shore
but most are gone and few remain and the buffalo roam no more.

We shared our food and our land and gave with open hearts,
We wanted peace and love and hope, but all were torn apart.

All this was taken because we did not know what the white man had in store,
They killed our people and raped our lands and the buffalo roam no more.

But those of us who still remain hold our heads up high,
and the spirits of the elders flow through us as if they never died.

Our dreams will live on forever and our nations will be reborn,
our bone and beads and feathers all will be proudly worn.

If you listen close you will hear the drums and songs upon the winds,
and in the distance you will see....the buffalo roam again.

The maps in this historic CD recount the heydays of native Americans, when they ruled over territories that they could proudly call their own.

Sample thumbnails taken from the collection. Click on image to view larger picture.

CONTENTS:

This CD features maps of the United States drawn in the 18th and 19th centuries with special emphasis on territories that were the domains of native Red Indian Tribes such as the Cherokee, Catawba, Muskogee and Black Feet. Most of the 76 colorful maps are hand painted by master cartographers before the 1870s and are brimming with details of physical features and other geographical detail. You can browse the contents of each map by clicking on the index and on the map of your interest on the thumbnail sketches. Textual contents on each map furnish relevant information about the period, location and historic significance of the map.

EDITORIAL REVIEW:

This CD is a treat for modern cartographers, students of American history, and chroniclers of native Indian history. It is a fabulous journey back in time to a period when Indian tribes enjoyed a definite identity and above all a territory that they could call their own. Though nomadic, these tribes lived in and defended well-defined areas that intruders were largely discouraged from entering.

Each of the 76 maps you will find in this CD is loaded with information about the territory. Hand drawn and painted to perfection, these maps can be studied in great detail by zooming in on areas of interest. Some of these masterpieces are annotated with names and descriptive notes and letterpress showing numerous forts, Indian villages, and trails. Others furnish useful descriptive index and notes while some provide a delightful account of cities and towns, Indian and military reservations, land districts, and the railroad network with names along the lines. These maps also record the shifts in political climate as the colonies became more distinct and powerful.

It isn’t the easiest of tasks to locate so many thematic maps in libraries. The fact that this CD contains no less than 76 antique maps of Indian territories makes this a rare and priceless treasure and a true collector’s item.

CUSTOMER'S REVIEWS:

"I have a hobby that is not very common - collecting antique maps. Understandably, original maps are difficult to come by and so I have settled down to collecting prints of early American maps. You will understand my delight when I opened a birthday gift and found this fascinating CD brimming with colorful maps. I plan to print some of these images and add them to my wall hangings. Thanks A2ZCDS for this delightful collection of priceless maps."

Customer's Name: Jerry Valentine. (Boston, Massachusetts).