Elliott West

Date: 2023-11-07 | Duration: 2h 4m

Episode Overview

Historian Elliott West offers a deep dive into the complex history of Native American and European interactions long before the commonly told narratives of westward expansion. He highlights early contact between Native peoples and French fur traders, including stories of cross-cultural families and transatlantic journeys. West challenges the perception that European colonization was a sudden event, instead framing it as a centuries-long process marked by disease, trade, and shifting alliances. He discusses the devastating impact of smallpox and other diseases on indigenous populations, estimating mortality rates as high as 90%, and explores how these epidemics reshaped Native societies and ecosystems. West also examines the transformation of the American West through the rise and fall of the bison population, driven by market hunting and industrial demand. He traces the evolution of Native horse cultures into formidable military powers and the subsequent clash with technologically advanced settlers. The conversation delves into the cultural destruction wrought by boarding schools and forced assimilation policies, including the infamous Carlisle Indian Industrial School’s motto, “kill the Indian to save the man.” West critiques popular myths perpetuated by Western films and emphasizes the nuanced realities of Native resistance, survival, and adaptation amid relentless pressure from expanding American empires.

About Elliott West

Elliott West is a distinguished historian, author, and professor renowned for his expertise in the intricate tapestry of the American West. With a keen focus on the era of expansion, he has authored the critically acclaimed book "Continental Reckoning: The American West in the Age of Expansion," which offers profound insights into this transformative period in American history. A faculty member at the University of Arkansas, West is celebrated not only for his scholarly contributions but also for his engaging storytelling that brings the past to life. His appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience sheds light on the complexities and narratives that shaped the West, making history accessible and compelling for a broad audience.

Key Moments

– Native American History
– European Colonization
– Smallpox Epidemic
– Fur Trade
– Bison Population Decline
– Indigenous Cultures
– American Westward Expansion
– Native American Boarding Schools
– Comanche Horse Culture
– Native American Warfare
– Gold Rush Impact
– Environmental Change
– Indigenous-European Relations
– Native American Languages
– Historical Revisionism
– Industrialization Effects
– Native American Alliances
– Native American Disease Impact
– American Civil War
– Western Films
0:00:28 – Introduction to Elliott West and his book
0:01:25 – Early Native American travel to France
0:04:57 – Native and European contact before American image
0:08:19 – Discussion of 'A Land So Strange' by Andres Resendiz
0:14:47 – Syphilis and disease impact on Native populations
0:18:04 – Smallpox immunity and transmission among Europeans
0:19:29 – Estimation of Native American deaths from disease
0:26:59 – Impact of European settlement on native wildlife
0:31:29 – Rise of buffalo robes as a commodity
0:36:38 – Evolution of the horse in North America
0:41:22 – End of the Ice Age and species changes
0:45:08 – Native American seasonal living practices
0:52:17 – Banding together of natives at Little Bighorn
1:02:35 – Purpose and impact of Native American boarding schools
1:11:49 – Second conquest of California and native displacement
1:14:19 – Environmental damage from gold mining
1:20:41 – Fusion of horse and human cultures in the West
1:31:02 – Military adoption of repeating rifles and revolvers
1:44:10 – Western films and their portrayal of Native Americans
1:50:23 – Public perception of Native American treatment
1:55:09 – Historical nuance and new understandings in research
1:57:18 – Early European diet and cattle raising in America
2:00:57 – Closing remarks and conversation summary

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Joe Rogan Experience. Starting point is 00:00:28 That is – that's a hell of a book. Starting point is 00:00:43 So this is a lifetime of work Starting point is 00:01:25 a hundred years before that, there had been Native Americans that had traveled to France. Starting point is 00:01:45 because the French wanted to expand their fur trade Starting point is 00:02:05 In fact, he had a son by one of the women in the Missouri tribe. Starting point is 00:02:37 down to New Orleans, and then over across the Atlantic to Le Havre. Starting point is 00:02:59 Sorcerers. Starting point is 00:03:19 Wow. Starting point is 00:03:55 the French men. They said they were sort of effeminate and sissy, and they said they smelled Starting point is 00:04:15 That is so fascinating. Starting point is 00:04:57 They knew English, or some of them did. So I think the point to remember is that this – long before our image of Americans coming into this area, there was all sorts of contact between Native peoples and Europeans, all sorts of exchanges. Starting point is 00:05:53 Peter Robinson That's right. Starting point is 00:06:11 Spanish coming up from the south, of course. Starting point is 00:06:48 Again, it's like us thinking that the 1800s, like 1823 was just yesterday. Starting point is 00:07:01 And that had been going on slowly. Starting point is 00:07:48 Not true. Starting point is 00:08:01 Right. Starting point is 00:08:19 A Land So Strange by Andres Resendiz. Starting point is 00:08:50 But it's probably the same exact thing that happened to 90-plus percent of the Native Americans that contacted smallpox. Maybe. The Mayas declined a good bit before that. Starting point is 00:09:39 And then they gradually made their way across the Southwest up to, you know, what is today Arizona, like the Zunis, Starting point is 00:10:18 of a few hundred years, which is such a transformative time period. That's right. Starting point is 00:10:47 And it keeps accelerating. Starti...

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Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2058?

Elliott West was the guest on JRE #2058. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #2058?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2058 with Elliott West, topics include Native American History, European Colonization, Smallpox Epidemic, and Fur Trade.

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