Description
Book SynopsisThis readable yet sophisticated survey of treaty-making between Native and European Americans before 1800, recovers a deeper understanding of how Indians tried to forge a new society with whites on the multicultural frontiers of North America-an understanding that may enlighten our own task of protecting Native American rights and imagining racial justice.
Trade Review"Linking Arms Together is a small book with a large message. Investigating Native American treaty negotiations with European colonists, Robert Williams, Jr., has found in that diplomatic culture certain habits of thought that helped natives and newcomers, in their better moments, find common ground, and a common humanity. His exploration of that long-ago world when diverse peoples struggled to get along offers important lessons for our own multicultural age." -- James H. Merrell, Vassar College
"...makes a good start at reconstructing Indian legal thought...well worth reading for anyone interested in the relationship between law and multiculturalism." -- Western Historical Quarterly
"...offers a compelling description of Indian diplomatic visions and methods...a rich addition to the literature." -- Jill Norgren, The Law and Politics Review
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Paradigms for Behavior1. National Mythologies and American Indians2. Treaties as Sacred Texts3. Treaties as Connections4. Treaties as Stories5. Treaties as ConstitutionsConclusion: Understanding American Indian Treaty Visions of Law and PeaceNotesIndex
