Before Columbus arrived in the Americas，How many people are there in the North American Indian tribes? European colonists have been on the American continent，I have always tried to figure out this problem。Due to the lack of historical materials，Historians cannot find the corresponding data，Anthropology、Archeology、Biology、Scholars in the fields of statistics and other fields are involved here。Due to the different academic background，The population estimation method used by scholars in different fields is different，Therefore, the number of numbers obtained is very different。

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Since the Indians set foot on the North American continent，Their population has always been changing。In the Bai Ling Luqiao era，How many ancient Indians have reached the North American continent with the footsteps of the prey，Scholars cannot provide a reliable data so far。Considering the difficulty of getting food，The initial population density should be low，There may be only one person per 100 square miles。Therefore，The total number of North America would not exceed 100,000 at that time。

From about 8000 BC，Indian culture entered the Archaic Period。This is the transition period of the Indians who mainly rely on hunting large animals to settle in agriculture。As the temperature gradually increases and the fourth disciplinary glacier ablation，Large land becomes a grassland，Provides living conditions for various small herbivores。Therefore，Indians' food sources tend to diversify。In addition to hunting smaller prey，They also collect plant fruits and seeds、fishing, etc.。As the food is richer，The population of the Indians gradually increases，It is likely to reach 10 people per 100 square miles。

About 1000 BC，The Indians entered the Woodland Period，The emergence of settlement agriculture is the most typical sign of this period。bet365 best casino games Bet365 app download Agricultural development not only provides the Indians with a stable food source，and it is an important factor in its population increase。If the food is sufficient，A tribe can achieve a population double in 20 years (under normal circumstances，The natural birth rate of the population will reach 65 ‰ per year)。If this geometric number increases，The population of the Indians may rise to an astronomical number。but，This situation has not really happened。It is estimated，White colonists are coming，The population density of the agricultural area in the eastern North American is about 5 square miles per ten square miles;，where，California's population density is more than 5 people per ten square miles，British Columbia reaches 10 people; the population density of the central grassland is less population，Only 2-3 people per ten square miles，or even lower。Therefore，The number of Indian population on the North American continent presents both sides high、Low features in the middle。but but，Although the overall trend of the Indian population is increasing，But in a certain period of time, it may not necessarily continue to grow。When encountering plague、Large -scale war and food shortage，Its population may fall within a certain period of time。

Calculation methods are diverse

　　To figure out the accurate quantity of the North American Indians before the arrival of whites，Scholars in different fields make estimate based on their own academic expertise，and get the corresponding population number。There are many research methods used by scholars，There are also defects。

The first is pure estimation，That is, the researchers simply estimate a number with personal experience and related situations。Therefore，Its accuracy is completely without verification。

The second is data weighted。For example，According to the number of samurai in a tribe，According to all adult men should be the convention of samurai，and weigh 3 times，Therefore, the population of the entire tribe is obtained。Similar weighted data，The number of houses in bet365 best casino games bet365 live casino games the tribe、The number of canoe、Number of believers, etc.，To calculate the number of people in the tribe。

The third is multiple data weighted，Based on the second method, weighted estimation。Due to many weighted，So the reliability of this method is questioned。

The fourth type is to reduce the relevant data in historical materials。Some researchers think，Early colonial era，White soldiers and missionaries to highlight their combat skills or missionary achievements，Sometimes deliberately exaggerate the number of Indians。Therefore，These researchers use such historical materials，Often compressed its numbers。but，This approach has attracted questioning of disrespecting primitive historical materials。

The fifth type is infectious disease correction method。Some researchers are based on the number of residual population after the Indian experienced the epidemic，and according to the mortality of the plague，It is estimated that the number of population before the arrival of white people。

The sixth type is the population density method。A region with the same natural conditions，It should have the same population density。Therefore，Some researchers According to the population density of the known areas，Calculate the population of other regions。

The seventh type is based on the natural resources that can be available somewhere，Estimated the number of local population to support the local population。

The eighth type is the basis of the bearing capacity calculation method developed on the basis of the seventh method，That is, the total amount of resources that can be used as food by calculating a region，The population of the place is obtained。

The ninth type is the population reduction proportion method。By studying some specific tribes，The proportion of the number of Indians after the arrival of white people is reduced，Then push the number of population before the arrival of white people。but but，Its defect is greater randomness，Some scholars believe that this constant is 5: 1，Some scholars believe that it is 25: 1。

The tenth type is archeological method，The Indian site bet365 live casino games Bet365 lotto review excavated by archeological excavations estimate the overall population number。Although this method is highly hoped，However, due to archeological excavation information is very limited，The result is not ideal。

The eleventh is the Mathematics Detail，That is, the difference in the number of population statistics in different periods，Calculate the number of previous population。

The estimation of scholars on the population of the American people in the Americas，Not only affected by the calculation method，Also received the times、Positioning and motivation and other factors。For example，mid -19th century，Famous painter、Writer and traveler George Catlin is more sympathetic to the Indians，His estimate of the number of Indian population is high。to the end of the 19th century，The mainstream society in the United States generally holds pessimistic views of the future of Indians，Therefore, the estimation of the number of Indian population is low。For example，1894，The report of the US Population Investigation Agency believes，Before the white people arrive，Indians in the United States "will not exceed 500,000 people"。

　　Estimated quantities are different

1910，Anthropologist James Mooney at the Smithson Society of the United States, James Mooney, based on comprehensive inspections of major tribes in North America，I believe that its total population is 1.148 million。1928，He adjusts this number to 1.153 million people。1939，Alfred Kroeber, an anthropologist, is estimated to be about 840,000 people。Muni and Cruber as rigorous scholars，Their estimation of the North American Indian population has long been considered the most credible number。but，Mundi estimated numbers are not the number of indigenous population before the arrival of Columbus in 1492，Instead, the population of some tribes in the western part of North America before the 17th century after the 17th century。Therefore，The figure he estimates is obviously low。Another scholar of the Smithson Society Douglas Ubelaker re -estimated Mundi's figures，It is believed that there should bet365 best casino games bet365 live casino games be 2.17 million people in North American Indians。1988，He lowered this number to 1.894 million。

1966，Archaeologist Henry Dobys (Henry Dobyns) According to his research on American Indians' mortality，It is estimated that the population of American indigenous people in 1492 is about 90 million to 113 million，and the indigenous population north of Mexico is 9.8 million -12.25 million。1983，According to the new research，Further increase the number of natives of North America to 18 million。The reason why Dobes make such a huge population estimate，The fundamental reason is that the base of the minimum point of the North American Indian population he is based on the basis is too large，The estimation of the mortality of the disease is also high。Another，In the above study in 1983，Refer to the relevant theory of Marsas，Using the population load rate of the unit area，It is estimated that the number of North American indigenous population before the arrival of whites，So I got the amazing number of 18 million。

1976，William M. Denevan believes，The total population of indigenous people in the Americas is 57.3 million as the base，Floating up and down 25%，ie 43 million -72 million，where，The total population of North America is about 4.4 million people。1987，Russell Thornton combined with the study of the above scholars，It is believed that when the white people arrive，Among them, about 7 million people in North America。

1992，Columbus Voyage's 500th Anniversary Celebration is over，The interest of the academic community for the Indian population problem has rapidly declined。Due to the lack of historical materials and the defects of the calculation method，We may never know the exact data of the Indian population before the arrival of the white people。In a certain sense,，How many scholars are interested in this problem，How many answers may there be。

　　Still facing unfair treatment

Whether it is the highest number of 18 million people estimated by Henry Dobes，It is still the minimum number of Douglas Yubreke's correction of 1.894 million people，North American Indians have experienced a disaster after white bet365 best casino games bet365 live casino games bet365 live casino games people arrived。Plague brought by white people、War、Wine and a variety of strikes，North American Indian population is increasingly shrinking。to the end of the 19th century，With the end of the westward movement，The number of Indian population in 48 states in the United States drops to the lowest point of history，Only about 250,000 people are left。north latitude 49 degrees north，The Indians fell from the initial 2 million (estimated figures) to about 125,000 people。In the 4th century in contact with white people，Indians on the entire North American continent have lost more than 90%of the population and land。As of the end of the 19th century，There are only about 370,000 people left in the North American Indian tribes，Dorded to hundreds of barren and backward retention places，European and American mainstream society generally predicts that they are facing the fate that is about to die。

But，North American Indians have not moved towards extinction。With the end of the armed conflict between white and Indians and the gradual improvement of medical and health conditions，The population of each tribe began to increase slowly。until 1933，American Indians have risen to 330,000 people。After World War II，The United States and Canada began to implement the Indians Re -resetting Plan。Indians leave a large number of reserved places，Employment in the city。until 1970，American Indians reach 763594，Among them, the population living in the city is 340367。At the end of the 20th century，The United States and Canadian Indians reached about 5 million。

Whether it is in contact with the Indians or after contact with white people，Population changes are their society、Economy、The vane of cultural changes。time to this day，Although North American Indians have made great progress on the road of national autonomy，But the suffering they experienced in the 5th century，We can't simply look at the cost of progress and gently wipe it out。Current，American and Canadian society is still popular with discrimination against Bet365 app download colored bet365 best casino games ethnic groups，Many Indian reserves are still in poverty，Many Indian tribes and the government have failed to reach an agreement to this day。All these indicate，The mainstream society in North America is to correct the unfair treatment of colored ethnic groups including Indians，There is still a long way to go。

　　(The author is a professor at the World Modern History Research Center of Nankai University、"New Century Excellent Talent"、Outstanding Youth Discipline Leader of Nankai University)