Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World

Published in 1988 and written by anthropologist Jack Weatherford, Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World traces the substantial and often over-looked contributions of American Indians to modern society. Despite his lack of formal training as a historian of American native cultures, Weatherford’s anthropological rigor shines through: Indian Givers has been widely praised for its insight, though occasionally criticized for relying too heavily on secondary literature. This study guide refers to the Random House Publishing Group Kindle edition.

Weatherford’s objective in writing Indian Givers is twofold. First, he aims to increase awareness of the immense contributions of indigenous peoples, particularly those in the Americas, to modern society, which he contends have been overlooked in previous accounts. Second, he hopes to draw attention to the wisdom that could still be shared by the Indians today.

Weatherford’s writing style is more persuasive essay than historical lecture. It might be called “pop anthropology.” His prose is unencumbered by academic jargon, and he relegates secondary sources to a reference section at the end of the book. A typical chapter interweaves the historical contributions of the Indians with powerful personal narratives from Indians of the present day.