Social organization

The stereotyped image of North American Indians is full of Eurocentric ideas about the family and how communities are organized. Many times it was the same missionaries and government officials who conveyed these ideas to the Indians. The Indian family was nuclear and patriarchal, with the husband as the leader and monogamous couples living in the same house. It seemed that the social organization was basically democratic, but it was led by a leader who oversaw internal affairs and acted as a link between the tribe and others.

However, this type of social organization was not common. In general, families were not nuclear, but rather “united”, that is, several generations shared a home. Not all marriages were monogamous: in many Indian communities, a person could have multiple spouses, provided that the family could be sustained financially. Clan relations were as important as individual family relations, and often formed the basis of political structures. The government of the communities had various forms, from the assembly to the "dictature" of a powerful leader or king, such as the "king of the sun" of the southeastern natchez, who inherited the title.

The hunting and harvesting communities were patriarchal and patrilineal, which meant that men controlled almost all possessions and made decisions, and inheritance followed the male line. Several of this general pattern were practised in many prairie, Arctic, Subarctic, Plateau, and California communities. A man, his wives and his children formed the typical family unit of fifteen to twenty-five people. It could include the families of the male children as well. The size of the family unit generally depended on the land. The daughters who married left the family. During times of abundance, these small groups united with others to form larger units to celebrate rituals, arrange marriages, and organize hunting, war, incursions, territorial disputes, and other matters.

He used to rely on personal merits, such as hunting or war skills, to lead. A chief could only remain in his position as long as the community considered his skills and experience necessary.

On the other hand, agricultural communities were typically matriarchal and matrilineal, where women were in charge of managing land possessions and land use. Some prairie farming communities, such as the mandanes, and many eastern forest nations, fit into this general pattern. Families were large and "united", consisting of a woman, her husband or husbands, her daughters and the families of her daughter, all living in a dwelling, which could be a long house or a cabin of adobe. Mother-to-daughter ownership of arable land, political power and some sacred activities were passed on. Sometimes, clans (family groups) were subdivided into halves, which were led by men who had descent from certain groups of women. Halves were in charge of the sacred hatches and planned plans for war or peace for the entire community. Personal merits were valued, but leadership was based more on inheritance or title. For collective action, consensus was required, but heads had the power to take decisions on behalf of the group. Complex family structures collaborated with societies that transcended family ties to carry out certain ritual or secular activities.

Some communities were distinguished by the importance they attached to the social position, to the point that there was some sort of division into social classes. In some situations, the position was based on wealth, while in others, material possessions were less important, and prestige based on personal qualities such as generosity, which was always highly appreciated because it contributed to the survival of the group. Clans and social groups acted as mutual aid organizations through exchanges, gifts and costly ceremonies such as potlatch, ensuring that no one lacked the essential to survive.