The History of the American Indians

James Adair's classic study of southeastern Native American culture of the late colonial period is one of the few primary sources from that era. The editor Kathryn E Holland Braund has written an excellent introductory essay and added extensive annotations to the text. She also tells the story of how Adair's manuscript was accepted by the leading London publishing house of Dilly and Dilly upon the recommendation of Benjamin Franklin.This is a book written by an amateur. It is a tragic tale of primitive tribes in a state of endless warfare, always in danger from deadly diseases, a colossal homicide rate, and runaway alcoholism, and caught up in the plots of the British, French, and Spanish to control the North American continent. Nearly half the book is formal argumentation that the American Indians are descended from the lost tribes of Israel. Since Adair's arguments don't support his case, it appears that he felt that book sales required catering to the romantic notions of his pre-scientific age.In recent years, several writers have suggested that Adair's book is one of the major sources of the Book of Mormon. In this day of sophisticated computer word print analysis, scholars may decide that the computers will have the last word on this subject. But in terms of common sense, the argument is a strong one. It would certainly be difficult to conclude that Alma chapters 48-53 in the Book of Mormon had any other source than the last chapter of Adair's book.Readers who have a special interest in Native American history, or in American religious history, should not miss this book.

This book is a great read, So much History that you don’t learn in School. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in true history.

excellent book for history

Buy with confidence.

This book was so good and interesting that I would have enjoyed reading it even if it wasn’t for a class!! I will be reading it again.

This is a very, very good read. His theory of the Cherokee being one of the lost tribes of Israel is interesting and thought provoking. It is a welcome addition to my library and one I will always value. I will never sell it.

A great source on the white mans slanted interperation of the Native American in the 1700's. The aurther spends a lot of text supporting his position that the Native Americans were the lost tribes of Israel; interesting theory but his observations to support his position demonstrate Native American Life that he encountered. Most of the tribes he encountered were desimated by small pox or tribal warfare shortly after the 1750's so the authors observations were a historical record of the eastern tribes who vanished with little documentation

The title is misleading. Silly me....I thought that this book would be about the history of the American Indians. Instead it is a weird, meandering, difficult to follow tale of how the American Indians are somehow descendants of the Lost Tribe of Israel and are really descendants of the Jews. I find it hard to believe. In any case, I was interested about learning about the history of the American Indians and I guess I should buy a different book. This book is absolute garbage. Don't buy it.

The media could not be loaded.  A clearly written deep judgment account detailing the scrubbing of Israelites regeneration & memory reboot by following Gods Commandments! READ and APPLY with PRECEPTS and PRAYERS!

I have a great interest in the very complex problems of The American Indian. This is the most complete and concise that I have ever ever read fantastic account, love it. Many thanks Amazon I would be interested in any similar publication

The media could not be loaded.  It’s a series of ‘arguments’ & observations which continually reference Israel???

James Adair identifies the North american Indians as the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel and a nation of people who spoke Hebrew and had many Hebrew customs.