Thundersticks: Firearms and the Violent Transformation of NA

The author has some interesting perspectives and there is a lot of facts to back them up.



One thing I think is missing though, is the inter-tribal raids and warfare that went on before firearms became available. In the case of the Iroquois, especially, they had banded together into their League not only for defensive purposes, but also to subjugate other tribes. One of the more famous tribes they subjugated was the Lenape/Delawares. Inter-tribal raids and warfare were common in other areas of the colonies before firearms became available as well.



The point I'm getting at is inter-tribal raids and warfare were by no means a new thing when guns became available, though like any other technological advantage when it became available, empowered some tribes more than others until the others acquired enough firearms, which the author does address.



I'm about half way through the interview and will listen to the rest later on, but I'm waiting to see if the author recognizes that most of the bullets and shot traded west of the Alleghanies was supplied by the French for so much of the early period of colonization.



Gus