This article, A Visual History of Tradecloth, A Partial Record, is an enhancement of the original presentation at the Material Culture of the Plains, Prairie and Plateau Conference (MCPPP), National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, October 16-18, 2008. It is an attempt to show examples of the various types of trade cloth and their use by American Indian people over time.
Beads often reveal long-lost histories of countries, cultures, and people. For example, in November 2009, archaeologists with Atlanta’s Fernbank Museum of Natural History unearthed the first evidence of conquistador Hernando de Soto’s stay in Georgia, in the U.S., in 1540. The evidence used to make this determination is beads!
Rate This Article History of Clay Pipes from Fort Union National Historic Site © 2002-2009 J. Byron Sudbury Fort Union National Historic Site, North Dakota Photo Credit: Foto: R. Heyen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons History of Clay Pipes from Fort Union National Historic Site © 2002-2009 [read more]
Rate This Article Lewis and Clark Compass Exhibition of "The American Presidency" features Lewis & Clark Compass Photo Credit: Samuel Lewis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Lewis and Clark track map published 1814 (cropped). Lewis and Clark Compass Exhibition of "The American Presidency" features Lewis & Clark Compass [read more]
The emerging middle class of the 18th century wanted to enjoy things traditionally reserved for the upper classes. Upper class amenities emulated in tin reflected this new status. The new world was also a rough and tumble place. The durability (and light weight) of tin allowed for shipping over rough roads and great distances.
