Read, in Wood, Chapters 10 - 20, pp. 97 - 116•of Their Kings’ Government and Subjects’ Obedience•of Their Marriages•of Their Worship, Invocations, and Conjurations•of Their Wars•Their Games and Sports of Activity•of Their Huntings•of Their Fishings•of Their Arts and Manufactures•of Their Language•of Their Deaths, Burials and Mourning•of Their Women, Their Dispositions, Employments, Usage by Their Husbands, Their Apparel, and Modesty.A glance at the chapter headings lets us know that Wood’s focus has changed considerably in these last few short chapters. As we discussed, he began is thinking about Native Americans geographically, drawing distinctions among the several tribes in the vicinity. But he soon moves to a more general, topical approach. From time to time, we’ve mentioned that Wood (and others, too) both express an idea and an attitude toward that idea. In other words, he tells us something and also lets us in on what he thinks and feels about what he is telling us. I’d like to have you be especially aware of that distinction when you read these chapters. For example, when Wood talks about “games and sports” what is his attitude towards those games and sports? When he talks about Indian Women and about their relationships with their husbands (what he means by “usage), what does he have to say? What does he admire? What does he condemn? What does he present in a more or less neutral way? (Use this same approach to thinking about what the Pilgrims have to say in Mourt’s Relation.)Introduction: “As a City upon a Hill”. pp. 1 - 8There are some important concepts here, though there are not a lot of pages to consider. Wood’s general thesis is contained on pp. 3-5, commencing with the paragraph which begins "the story". It is important to note how Wood interprets the creation of the "Village Myth". The idealized village which features in popular art is a conscious creation of later times (including ours), and not the historic “real thing”. You may need to consider what a myth is, to get the full impact of what Wood is trying to say. A myth is sometimes called an "operant truth"--something which is not objectively true, but we act upon it as it it was true. (If you follow the link, scroll down to the American Heritage Dictionary definition, meanings 3 and 4. They're closest to what Wood and I meanMy guess is that most if not all of you will be encountering your first cultural geography book in Wood’s monograph. It shouldn’t cause you too much trouble. The language is modern (which should come as a relief), it is illustrated (and the illustrations are important), and the terminology is not too technical, though it may take some getting used to, in the beginning. So will the types of charts and maps Wood uses. You will need to have your text with you each and every class! Starting with this one. I want to introduce some of the kinds of maps Wood uses, and I can’t do that unless you have examples in front of your nose.
