Publisher's Synopsis
In this elegant book, Michael J. Caduto tells the story of the land and people of New Hampshire from the formation of Earth 4.6 billion years ago through the seventeenth century. Part I offers a comprehensive look at every aspect of the ancient natural world. It describes the formation of the land millions of years ago as a result of major movements in the tectonic plates, chronicles the rise and fall of ancient life forms stemming from climatic changes, and explores the arrival of human beings during and after the relatively recent ice age. The rest of the volume immerses the reader in the history of the human populations in New Hampshire, beginning with the Paleoindian period of hunter gatheres more than twelve thousand years ago, and continuing through the arrival of horticulture among the Alnobak (Abenaki), and beyond. Caduto explores the Alnobak's day-to-day existence, culture, and traditional tales as preserved by archeologists, anthropologists, historians, and living cultures.;Caduto takes the reader on an exploration through New Hampshire's rich and diverse history - using first-hand experiences, re-creations of natural and human environments, journeys through historical landscapes and visits with the families of ancient people - to present a thorough profile of the early beginnings of the Granite State.
