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family.Each group shared a culture

common only to its group.Family forms

differed among the various groups and

included nuclear family types,extended

family households,clans,tribes,and other

forms of kinship.

Family organization among Native-

Americans generally followed one of two

patterns.Amatrilineal familymeant the

family traced its ancestry through the

mother’s bloodline.In a matrilineal

family,the husband often joined the wife’s

household.In apatrilineal family,the

bloodline was traced through the father;

thus,the wife would join her husband’s

family.In some matrilineal tribes,the

family consisted of female relatives and

their husbands,sons-in-law,and maternal

grandchildren living in a multistoried

communal structure (Brinkley,2003).

Themajority of Native-American

children werelovedandwell-treatedby

their families.In contrast,early European

childrearingpracticestendedtobemuch

harsher than their Native-American

counterparts.ThisledtheColoniststo

interpret thelavish affection and

permissivetreatment of Native-

American children asan invitation

torebellion.However,the

disciplinary practicesof these

peoplewerebasedon their cultural

norms.Rather than focuson

punishment,Native-American

parentsusedtheir children’s

mistakestoteach them lessons

about life.

A Clash of Cultures.Interaction

with theEuropean settlers

ultimately undermined the

The Changing Face of theAmerican Family: Early History

Native-American interaction with the European settlers

threatened the very survival of the Native-Americans.

The very first immigrants to North America

were the nomadic ancestors of

the Native-Americans.

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