Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
In a compelling counterpoint to viewing colonial Indian-white relations as a series of uneven battles or unfair massacres, Joel Martin traces the cultural/religious history of the Muskogee "Creeks" from precontact times, through a century of nation-to-nation dealings with European traders, to a culmination of this interaction in the 1814 revolt against the U.S. Army at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Placed in a Muskogee context, this revolt is more than an uprising against white encroachment; it is the culmination of an ongoing effort by the Muskogees for cultural reaffirmation. Part of a growing body of literature in which Native Americans are viewed as dynamic participants in the events that encompass their worlds, this is an important contribution to U.S. history collections.
Synopsis
The Muskogees' Struggle for a New World
"In Sacred Revolt Joel Martin places the 1813-1814 revolt of the people who were called 'Creek Indians' in the context of world history while forsaking nothing of the texture of their own culture. With a deft use of multiple perspectives, he has rewritten a chapter in the history of the Old South. His book will do much to freshen stale ways of thinking about a valiant people."
-Charles Hudson, author of The Southeastern Indians
About the Author
Joel W. Martin is associate professor of religious studies and American studies at Franklin and Marshall College.