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Thematic Statement Draft: While we can learn from history, many remnants of the past still remain. 

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Thematic Statement Draft: While we can learn from history, many remnants of the past still remain. 

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Agricultural techniques and practices throughout Native history have been adopted, and also improved upon by the British and our modern society.

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1000 BC - Prehistoric Native Americans Change Farming Practices

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1000 BC - Prehistoric Native Americans Change Farming Practices

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As will prove to be important later on, prehistoric native tribes transitioned from a horticultural and foraging farming system to a farming system utilizing purely domesticated plants. (Encyclopedia Britannica) A horticultrual farming system refers to gardening, and the cultivation of vegetables, fruits, and garden crops. (Encyclopedia Britannica) A domesticated plant refers to a plant which has been modified to be unable to reproduce without human interference. Corn is a vital domesticated plant, and was originally domesticated in Mexico thousands of years ago. (Encyclopedia Britannica) Another example of a domesticated plant would be a banana. Chequita bannanas you buy from the supermarket are quite different from undomesitcated bananas in the wild. While a domesticated banana exhibits its familiar long and curved shape, a domesticated banana is comparatively miniscule, and contains an abundant amount of banana seeds within it. (Birungi, Joshipura) Original domestication of bananas can be traced back 7000 years ago to Papa New Guinea. Plant domestication by Native peoples not just in the Americas, but around the world, still has a lasting effect in modern society. There are still many parallels from rather ancient history to recent history.

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Early 1600's - 1620 AD - Wampanoag and Pilgrims Work Together for a Successful Harvest

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Early 1600's - 1620 AD - Wampanoag and Pilgrims Work Together for a Successful Harvest

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When the pilgrims first arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts, they faced several agricultrual challenges. First, Massachusetts soil proved to be very different from soil in Southern England, which the pilgrims were accustomed to using. (Henke, SoilsMatter) While English soil was fertile and able to store water and nutrients, soil in the Plymouth region was shallow, sand-like, and unable to store rich amounts of water and nutrients. Beyond the unexpected qualities of the soil, the pilgrims brought along sparse amounts of small seeds and grains with few animals to help with farming. (Henke, SoilsMatter) Farming, and tilling the soil by hand were not viable options either as both were also difficult. (SoilsMatter) Out of sympathy, the Wampanoag decided to assist the Puritans, and introduced them to an important method of farming called the "Three Sisters". The, "Three Sisters" method, referred to the simultaneous raising of maize (corn), beans, and squash crops. These crops are durable, and are able to endure even harsh conditions. If one crop failed to make it until harvest, at least one of the other two would still survive. Each of these crops also provided assitance for the other crops. Beans provided food using oxygen from the air; corn provided a foundation for the other two to grow upon; the squash staved off water retention (build up of excess water) and weed growth. (Henke, SoilsMatter, Amelinckx) Together, the Wampanoag and pilgrims raised an abundant harvest, and celebrated the first Thanksgiving. (Henke) As a Wise Jedi once said, "...what I told you was true, from a certain point of view. [...] You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view." While many records depict the pilgrims as peaceful settlers, their first engagement with the native Indians was in fact a fight. Depending on which perspective one is willing to use, you may view the pilgrims as hard workers who overcame their struggles with the help from the Wampanoag. Or, you may view the pilgrims as those who exploited this opportunity to expand their influence in the Americas, and eventually conquer native lands. In our industrialized society, we grow enormous fields of plants of all types, which is effectively a larger form of the "Three Sisters" method.

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Early 1600's - 1700: Establishment of a Sustaining Agricultural System in Colonial America

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Early 1600's - 1700: Establishment of a Sustaining Agricultural System in Colonial America

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Starvation was a looming threat to the first colonists arriving in the Americas. A  famous period of winter starvation, known simply as the "Starving Time" or "Starveign Tyme" started in Jamestown, Virginia. (Saenger) Jamestown was established as the first permanent British settlement, and heavily relied on homegrown food to survive. (Virginia Places.org) During this period, some people of Jamestown were thought to have resorted to cannibalism, and this theory was confirmed when a body of woman was found in the cellar of a Jamestown Building. (Saenger) After the winter from 1609-1610 passed, British colonies started expanding agricultural systems. Indentured servitude, and later slavery, would be the main components of this new agricultural system in America. As farming was mainly done by hand, indentured work and slavery grew the labor force, and therefore increasing crop yields and harvests. (Saenger) Mechanical tools would later replace hand held tools such as plows, sickles, shovels, and hoes. While corn was a fundamental crop in the Americas, traditionally English crops of wheat and barley didn't suit the soil. (Saenger) Colonial farmers also adopted Native practices on how to grow corn and tobacco. In addition, colonial farmers also hunted wild animals for sustenance. These hunting practices were also inherently Native practices. (Saenger) While indentured servants were poor immigrants looking to work off their debt (Saenger), slavery victims were often Native Americans, or slaves from Africa. Cheaply paid labor provided an ever growing industry of agriculture and food production. Equality is a heavily conversed topic in modern times. Colonial slavery was a clear violation of ethics and morals, and those who supported it were corrupt. Modern slavery is arguably even worse. Slavery still exists, while many acknowledge it's profoundly terrible aspects.

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Late 1700's To Early 1800's - Development of New Agricultural Technology and Farming Management

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Late 1700's To Early 1800's - Development of New Agricultural Technology and Farming Management

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Agricultural technology and systems of farming started developing before, during, and after the Revolutionary War. American farmers were on the cusp of expansion multiple times throughout the late 1700's and early 1800's. While handhoes were previously used by early colonists (Salem Cross Inn), agircultural tools soon expanded into animal powered tools such as  plows, harrows, spades, hoes, sickles, forks, and axes. (Encyclopedia.com) In addition, more advanced variations of plows, and the invention of the threshing machine, a machine which separated seed from stalk or husk. also occured during this period of invention. (Encyclopedia.com)  Multiple organizations were also formed by American farmers. These organizations discussed farming techniques such as fertilization and livestock breeding. Individuals known as speculators were those who bought land for a cheap price from large companies or the government, and in turn sold that land at a much higher price at smaller units to local farmers. (Encyclopedia.com) Farming was largely improved by mechanical innovation. While technology will continue improving until the end of time, certain systems will not. In our capitalist society, economic systems are still unregulated, and it was that way for a long long time. 18th century speculators exploited the system for personal profit, and yet no one took action for at least another decade.

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Henke, Jodi. “Pilgrim Farming.” Agriculture.com. Successful Farming, 20 Nov. 2017. Web. 19 Nov. 2021.

Matter, Soils. “What Type of Farming Challenges Did the Pilgrims Face?” Wordpress.com. N.p., 15 Nov. 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2021.

Amelinckx, Andrew. “The Pilgrims Had No Idea How to Farm Here. Luckily, They Had the Native Americans.” Modernfarmer.com. N.p., 23 Nov. 2016. Web. 23 Nov. 2021.

Inn, Salem Cross. “Agriculture in the American Colonies.” Salemcrossinn.com. N.p., 24 May 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2021.

“Native American - Prehistoric Farmers.” Encyclopedia Britannica : n. pag. Print. Web. 22 Nov. 2021

Perott, Roy, Synne, Patrick Millington, Janick, Jules, Herklots, Geoffrey A.C. “Horticulture.” Encyclopedia Britannica 1 Nov.  2021. Web. 22 Nov. 2021.

Peninah Birungi, Bhushit Joshipura. “Domestication of the Banana.” Promusa.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2021.

“A Farming Society.” Encyclopedia.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2021.

Saenger, Tim. “Colonial Farming and Food: Famine to Prosperity.” Ncpedia.org. N.p., 2013. Web. 25 Nov. 2021.

“Native American Agriculture in Virginia.” Virginiaplaces.org. N.p., 2021. Web. 26 Nov. 2021.

“Colonial Enslavement of Native Americans Included Those Who Surrendered, Too.” Brown.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2021.