Some first steps in human progress / by Frederick Starr.

  • Starr, Frederick, 1858-1933.
Date:
[1901]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Some first steps in human progress / by Frederick Starr. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    what firm concentration of power and consolidation may be secured even in purely tribal society. Morgan and Bandelier have shattered romantic ideas of the “ Empire of the Monte- zumas,” but have brought clearly to view something far more interesting. A most important matter among ourselves is property. Primitive ideas regarding property are markedly different from our own. At first, but few things were looked upon in the light of personal possessions. What a man wore was his ; his weapons and his tools were personal. What he killed when hunt- ing was only partly his ; his kindred and, in fact, the whole community to which he belonged had their rights in regard to it. Some of the rules and ideas in regard to game which occur among the Eskimo illustrate this matter well and are exceed- ingly interesting. Hospitality is everj'where among ruder people not a virtue but a natural and necessary- quality. Those closely related by blood, of course, are entitled to their share ; but so were all the gens members ; so was all the village ; so was every stranger who might come. In the olden days, be- fore they were affected by the white man and before that greed of gold and avarice which the white man ever teaches the children of nature w'as aroused in their hearts, a whole \'illage or tribe of Eskimo might starve to death, but a single indi- vidual, never. As for land, it was the property of the tribe. It was common property, to be used in any way desired, but chiefly as a hunt- ing-ground. The limits of the tribal territor\* were well de- fined. Trespassers upon it might be killed immediately. Wandering from it was likely to bring the vengeance of neigh- bors upon the wanderer. When agriculture began, those who wished to cultivate the soil would be allowed the use of a suffi- cient plot out of the tribal stock ; it was his so long as he cul- tivated it; on his neglect it reverted to the tribe and might be