Native+Americans+and+Corn

=Introduction.= Most people without an education in Indian culture think would of the American Indians as nomadic people who ate mostly meat. Though most of the Indians were nomadic hunters, some Indians also settled on the plains and were successful farmers. Zea maize or corn is a crop that originated from a wild grass in Central America. It was domesticated by the indigenous Aztecs and Mayan tribes. “ The Native American name for corn was mahiz, which the early settlers called maize. In Native American language usage, the word "mahiz" means "that which sustains us." ( Puckett, Kori. Apr.16 2011 "The History of Corn.") =History of Corn.= Somewhere between 1250-1700A.D. corn had spread through most of North America. People suspect in early times the corn plant varied in size from just a couple feet tall to 23 feet tall. The Mandan tribe was a tribe that utilized corn in the Midwest. The Mandan Indians would plant corn on small hills or mounds where plants would be about 3 ft. from each other. The women of the Mandan tribe rubbed sage on themselves before they entered the garden because they believed that the sage would protect their crops from worms and other insects. Many of the researched websites talked about the three sisters. The three sisters refer to corn, beans, and squash. Indians would plant beans along with the corn for nitrogen and also along with squash for ground cover as a means for weed control. In august the squash would be harvested, followed by the corn. The corn would then be stored in scaffolds and dried. Once the ears were dry the seeds would be removed from the cob and seeds would be put back for the next year’s crop or stored underground for food. Most varieties of corn were welcomed by the Indians but the corn that we eat today “sweet corn” was usually thrown out because the Indians were unsure of the sugary taste and the fact that the seed was harder to keep to plant for the next year. Sweet corn was grown by several tribes in North America but was basically irrelevant until the white man came. By the time that Columbus came in 1492 Tribes were cultivating more than 200 different varieties. =﻿Uses of Corn.= Corn was eaten for every meal. Ground corn meal was usually the way that the corn was prepared. Once in a ground meal it would be made into breads. The other way corn was regularly cooked was to soak the kernels in a mixture of water and salt. The Indians would let the corn soak and then puff up. Once the kernels split the water would then be drained off and then the corn would be fried. Corn was very practical for the Indians grain because once it was dried the Indians could store it and they would have food all winter long. According to one website it is a tradition to eat corn on Thanksgiving because of the story of thanksgiving between the whites and the Indians. Unlike today where the majority of corn usage comes only from the kernel; the Indians did not waste anything. The husks were used for masks, baskets, moccasins and bedding and the cobs were used for heating fuel. =﻿Ceremonial Importance.= The Indians would have two ceremonies a year thanking their Gods for their crops. In July or August the Green Corn Ceremony was held. Messengers would be sent out to different clans along the reservation. One ear was picked from each clan. Once the messengers returned tribal leaders would fast for 6 days. The ceremony would start of the 7th day when the sacred fire was rekindled and the 7 ears of corn that had been picked would be sacrificed to the gods. Another ceremony was held shortly after the “Green Corn Ceremony”. The Ripe Corn Ceremony was held 40 to 50 days after the end of the green corn ceremony. Its purpose was to sacrifice mature crops to the gods before harvest. Today, According to one website it is a tradition to eat corn on Thanksgiving because of the story of the first Thanksgiving between the whites and the Indians in 1621. =Conclusion.= We know that the corn of the past has basically been phased out with corn aswe knwo it today, but we cannot forget how our number 1 crop got to be where it is. Without the Indians our farmers would be without one of the most important crop in the world.

= = =Webliography.= 1. Prindle, Tara. "Native Tech: Native American History of Corn." //Native Tech: Native American Technology and Art//. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. . Native Tech was a very good source for info. Everything from how it was grown to how the Europeans adapted it for their own uses

2. Maize." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Wikipedia, 11 Apr. 2011. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. Wikipedia gave a broad definition of corn and everything it is used for. It also talked a little about how the Indians used planting techniques with other crops.

3. Native American Indians and Their Use of Corn." //The Original ~ Indians.org//. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. . This website defined some things about how the Indians prepared food made from corn. The website also talked about the tradition of thanksgiving.

4. Guide, Step Genealogy. "Native American Indians and Their Use of Corn." //The Tribal Directory//. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. . <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;">An article filled with info on corn production. Everything from how they planted it to what they all used it for.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">5. Guide, Step Genealogy. "Native American Indians and Their Use of Corn." //The Tribal Directory//. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.tribaldirectory.net/articles/corn.html>. This an article filled with info on corn production. Everything from how they planted it to what they all used it for.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">6. "Plains Indians - Maize, Corn - Native Americans in Olden Times for Kids." //MrDonn.org - Native American Lesson Plans, Games, Interactives//. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/plains/maize.html>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This site talked about the fact that some of the Indians actually settled down and became great farmers. It discussed how the Indians also had dances when they planted and harvested the corn to ask the Gods to bring them a bountiful harvest.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">7. Schultz Nelson, Jennifer. "Indian Corn - Plant Palette - University of Illinois Extension." //Untitled Document//. Illinois Extension Service, 22 Nov. 2009. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://web.extension.illinois.edu/macon/palette/091122.html>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This source was a very interesting source that talked a lot about the cultural aspects of corn. It also talked about the food side of the corn as well.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">8. "History of Traditional Tribal Foods." //American Indian Health//. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.aihd.ku.edu/foods/history.html>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">The website was based mostly on the foods of the Indians. Not only did it talk about corn but many other healthy foods that the Indians eat.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">9. "The Mandan Indians: American America History." //Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Paper, and Book Report//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=23328>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This site depicted the Mandan Indian tribe. It talked about their culture and gave good information about corn storage.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">10. "Mandan Bride Corn Seeds." //Organic Garden Seeds for Sale//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.egardenseed.com/Mandan_Bride_Corn_Seeds_p/0139.5.htm>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This site wasn’t very informative but it shows just how much of an influence that the Mandan tribe had on corn production.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">11. As American as Apple Pie." //Aggie Horticulture//. Texas A and M University. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/PUBLICATIONS/VEGETABLETRAVELERS/corn.html>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This talked a lot about the history of sweet corn. It was very interesting that Indians disliked sweet corn.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">12. Gibson, Lance, and Garren Bensen. "Origin, History and Uses of Corn." //Department of Agronomy - Iowa State University//. 2002. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.agron.iastate.edu/courses/agron212/readings/corn_history.htm>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This Article discussed the history of corn and not so much corn in reference to Indians. It was very in depth and great because it came from Iowa State.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">13. "CEREMONIES OF THE CHEROKEE." //ECHOTA CHEROKEE TRIBE OF ALABAMA WOLF CLAN//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <http://www.echotacherokeewolfclan.com/id1.html>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This site gave great insight into the ceremonies that the Indians celebrated when growing corn. This showed just how important the ceremonies have been to the Native American people

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">14. "The Story of Corn - History Detective - In the Beginning." //Welcome to the Camp Silos Home Page//. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. <http://www.campsilos.org/mod3/students/c_history.shtml>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This website gave a quick but in-depth overview of how the crop migrated north from South America.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">15. Puckett, Kori. "The History of Corn." //RLROUSE Directory//. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. <http://www.rlrouse.com/history-of-corn.html>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">I used a couple lines right out of this article because I thought it was of huge importance for people to know just how the whites got the name maize. It was a great site with some helpful information.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">16. "Maize - Ohio History Central - A Product of the Ohio Historical Society." //Ohio History Central - An Online Encyclopedia of Ohio History - Ohio Historical Society//. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. <http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2204>. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">The site talked a lot about Ohio's corn production. It also talked about the history and it said that when corn was a wild grass it had the potential of growing 23 ft. tall

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">Very in-depth article from NC State. It talked about the history of corn and the role that the Indians played in getting it to where it is today.

//<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">18. Cherokee Society." //Cherokee Resources, Cherokee Genealogy, Cherokee Religion//. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. <http://www.cherokeebyblood.com/chersociety.htm>.// <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">A site with a broad look at Indian ceremonies. I used information from this site when talking about the "Green Corn Ceremony".

//<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">19. "The Importance of Indian White Corn | Oneida Indian Nation | Preserving History." //Oneida Indian Nation//. Web. 16 Apr. 2008. <http://www.oneidaindiannation.com/culture/preservinghistory/26382229.html>.// <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt;">This was a very Good article based on a tribe in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I liked it because it talked about how these Indians are trying to preserve their culture with their white corn production.

<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 7.5pt 0in 7.5pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">20. "Pueblo Indian Influence - Heritage and Human Environment - Albuquerque's Environmental Story." Albuquerque - Official City Website//. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. <http://www.cabq.gov/aes/s3pueblo.html>.// //<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 7.5pt 0in 7.5pt 22.5pt;">This source talked about the history of the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico. It gave a substantial amount of information about early corn production. //

//<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24pt; margin: 3.75pt 0in 0pt 22.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">17. Wessel, Thomas. "AGRICULTURE, INDIANS, AND AMERICAN HISTORY." //Http://www.cals.ncsu.edu//. Jan. 1976. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. <http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/aee501/indians.html>.//