426 Indigenous Agriculture and the Hidden Science of Native Foodways

As Thanksgiving approaches, many Americans are gathering to reflect on gratitude, family—and of course—food.

It's the time of year when we may think about the so-called "First Thanksgiving" and imagine scenes of Pilgrims and Native peoples gathering in Massachusetts to share in the bounty of their fall harvests.

But how much do we really know about the food systems and agricultural knowledge of Indigenous peoples of North America? In what ways were the Wampanoag people able to contribute to this harvest celebration—and what have we gotten wrong about their story?

Michael Wise, Associate Professor of History at the University of North Texas and author of Native Foods: Agriculture, Indigeneity, and Settler Colonialism in American History, joins us to challenge four persistent myths about Indigenous food practices. Discover how Native communities shaped and stewarded the land and its agriculture long before European colonists arrived—and why this history matters more than we might think.

Michael’s Website | Book |
Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/426
 
EPISODE OUTLINE
00:00:00  Introduction
00:01:10  Episode Introduction
00:03:43 Guest Introduction
00:04:30 Myths about Indigenous Agriculture
00:11:29  Indigenous and European Gender Roles
00:15:56 Wampanoag Agriculture
00:17:29 Wampanoag Corn Cultivation
00:25:59 Wampanoag Cuisine
00:27:52 Indigenous Disspossession in New England
00:32:58 Cherokee Agriculture
00:37:13 The Cherokee Hunter Myth
00:40:53 The Origin of the Myths about Native American Agriculture
00:45:40 Future Projects
00:47:13 Closing Thoughts & Resources

RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES
🎧 Episode 131: Thomas Jefferson's Empire of Liberty
🎧 Episode 189: The Little Ice Age
🎧 Episode 278: Polygamy: An Early American History
🎧 Episode 290: The World of the Wampanoag, Pt 1
🎧 Episode 291: The World of the Wampanoag, Pt 2
🎧 Episode 323: American Expansion and the Political Economy of Plunder

SUPPORT OUR WORK
🎁 Make a Donation to Ben Franklin’s World

REQUEST A TOPIC
📨 Topic Request Form
📫 liz@benfranklinsworld.com

WHEN YOU'RE READY
🗞️ BFW Gazette Newsletter
👩‍💻 BFW Listener Community
🌍 The History Explorers Club 

LISTEN 🎧
🍎 Apple Podcasts 
💚 Spotify 
🎶 Amazon Music
🛜 Pandora

CONNECT
🦋 Liz on Bluesky
👩‍💻 Liz on LinkedIn
🛜 Liz’s Website

SAY THANKS
💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts
💚 Leave a rating on Spotify
*Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.
 =

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices