USA HISTORY

SETTLING NORTH AMERICA 1497 1732

NORTH AMERICAN EXPLORATION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Native American cultures and traditions were
A
written down
B
passed down orally
C
Either A or B
D
None of the above
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -The Native American culture is known for its rich oral tradition. Instead of using a written language to document their history, these indigenous people simply relied on their verbal language to share their history, customs, rituals and legends through vivid narratives.

Detailed explanation-2: -The most widely studied Native oral tradition is storytelling. Oklahoma tribes classify and tell stories differently, but certain general patterns can be observed. Storytelling can encompass narratives that are viewed as truthful accounts of events in the ancient past.

Detailed explanation-3: -Oral traditions and expressions are used to pass on knowledge, cultural and social values and collective memory. They play a crucial part in keeping cultures alive.

Detailed explanation-4: -Religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Jainism, for example, have used an oral tradition, in parallel to a writing system, to transmit their canonical scriptures, rituals, hymns and mythologies from one generation to the next.

Detailed explanation-5: -In the late 19th century, trained ethnologists – not just white men and women, but also educated members of indigenous communities – began writing down “vanishing” oral traditions. In the early 20th century, further native stories were captured by wire recorders, then movie cameras.

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