Identifier: ridpathsuniversa08ridp (find matches)
Title: Ridpath's Universal history : an account of the origin, primitive condition and ethnic development of the great races of mankind, and of the principal events in the evolution and progress of the civilized life among men and nations, from recent and authentic sources with a preliminary inquiry on the time, place and manner of the beginning
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Ridpath, John Clark, 1840-1900
Subjects: World history
Publisher: Cincinnati : Jones
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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teriesof nature were all under the dominionof local and tribal gods, and these thepeople regarded with reverence or dis-trust, accordingly as they were supposedto be good or bad. The superstitions of the race reachedout largely into the animal kingdom.The beasts and the birds were generally minded chiefs and prophets were notfree from the dominion of these super-stitions which entered into the wholefabric of Indian life and gave theretoits substance and color. Of nature as a whole the Indiansformed many theories, none J Theory of na- of which were higher than ture and the fu- .. ,. . . ture life. the range ot barbaric con-cepts. Many of these theories re- NOR THERN A BORIGINES.—RELIGION. 493 ferred the creation of the world to ani-mals, such as the beaver, the bear, orthe buffalo. The supposed possessionof these creatures by unseen spirits was be broken through. The stars weresometimes regarded as points of fracturein the cerulean roof overhead. The theory of human responsibility to
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BURIAL GROUND OF THE MANDANS.—Drawn by K. Bodmer. at the bottom of such belief. Theheavenly bodies were conceived as be-ing- near the earth and of small dimen-sions. The sky was a roof which might the unseen powers did not carry with ita belief in retribution beyond the presentlife. Our aborigines looked forward toa future life of happiness and peace. 494 GREAT RACES OF MANKIND. That life was conceived as the perfectmodel of present existence. Whateverwas good and beautiful of the presentlife was to be continued to the warriorafter death. The Indian heaven con-sisted of a vast and beautiful country ofstreams and lakes and summer suns,fruits and flowers, and a limitless supplyof o-ame. The notion of the hereafterwas mixed and mingled with gross tween mankind and the lower animals.Our Red men showed their respect forthe dead of the tribe by funerals and theestablishment of burial grounds. Thesites of the latter were chosen with care.Beauty of situation and the character ofthe soil wer

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