A History of the Osage People

Description

Osage traditional lands are located in mid-continental America encompassed by the present-day states of Arkansas| Missouri| Kansas| and Oklahoma. Major waterways through these lands and the defensible terrain of the Ozark range provided the tribe a distinct advantage in prehistoric and early historic times. A warlike people| the Osage long encroached on neighboring tribal lands| especially those of the Caddo to the southwest. Yet good natural boundaries and centuries of success in warfare afforded the tribe little advantage in attempts to forestall Euro-American westward expansion. Three major routes to the West – the Missouri and Arkansas Rivers and the Continental Trail – crossed Osage land| so conflict with the newcomers was inevitable. Louis Burns draws on ancestral oral traditions and research in a broad body of literature to tell the story of the Osage people. He writes clearly and concisely| from the Osage perspective. First published in 1989 and for many years out of print| this revised edition is augmented by a new preface and maps. Because of its masterful compilation and synthesis of the known data| A History of the Osage People continues to be the best reference for inf