The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-05-26
CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIANS
AND MOUND BUiLDERS-WAR
A BUSINESS-G OVER N M EMIT
WAS A MILITARY DEMOCRACY.
PART w.
(By Eber Cole Byam)
The Communal Village.

The Aztec word "tepetl' is used
to denote village, a tribe, an inhab-
lated place. 1t is of interest to note
that even to this day many of the In
dian villages are built in elevated posi-
lions. This is found to be character
istic of many of the Indian villages
in Arizona and New Mexico, and even
many of the village sites of the social
ed Mound Builders are on elevated po-
sitions. The purpose of all this is OBJ
vious; the weapons and mode of war
fare made extremely difficult the storm
ing and capture of some of these emf
nences. Not all of the village sites in
Mexico, however, offered these advan.
tages by any means and 1t would ap.
pear that most of them were select
ed more from habit long established
than for any marked defensive advan
tages offered by them.
The inhabitants depended for exis
tence, aside from war and cannibal
ism; upon the cultivation of their
corn fields and upon hunting. Each
village, therefore, possessed a limit
ed area under cultivation, While a
larger contiguous area was a ''No
Mans Land where all were free to
supply themselves with firewood and
timber, and with deer and rabbits
and other wild creatures which they
hunted.
Their homes were one-room novels
built of mud and matched with straw
or of cane or reeds matched with
palm leaves. A straw mat on the
dirt floor served as bed, and-for cloth
ing they wore single garment which
could be readily cast aside, leaving
the movement of the individual un
hampered by it's folds. The clothing
was woven from cotton which was cul
tivated for the purpose. A few clay
cooking utensils, to be used over al
open fire upon the floor, completed the
worldly possessions of the average
| family.
While the individual Indian was
recognized as the owner of such prop
erty as he could pack upon his back
| he possessed no other rights in the
soil than those of occupation and use
The village elders distributed the
plots of ground to the various families
| who were expected to build upon ant
cultivate them. Failure to do 81
meant that another might be desig
! mated who would. The user possess
ed no right to transfer title or RICH
Of occupancy.
Low Culture of the Aztecs.
From their superior defensive posi-
tion on their swamp encircled island
| home the Aztecs made successive anC
successful forays upon the mainland
ands developed thereby superior
| military power, and in that manner
the robbery of others for subsistence
| With this military prowess, came {
desire for a character of barbara
| culture, which their war booty pros
perity permitted them to crafty
Therefore, the Spaniard found then
living in houses larger and better
| than their neighbors, and enjoying
more bountiful food supply, while
the increased security and leisure O.
| the village warriors gave, opportuni
ty partly to develop some of the use
full and ornamental arts. Their golt
and silversmiths were clever, bu
| while iron ore was present they never
knew that indispensable metal
Beasts of burden they had none, ant
the commerce" which they practic
ed was limited to that which could bt
conducted by the medium of mems
backs-obviously little. The onl!
| domestic animal possessed by then
| was a small dog which served az
| food.
The Mexican Indian considered tina
| if he was not at war he was "idle.'
Each village elected its WAR Cap
TAIN and his lieutenant, and the
whole village was consulted on any
| occasion of Importance when thu
whole tribe, including even the WON
en-, might congregate and discuss th'