ABSTRACT
The historical geography of the American Indians and their land is vitally important in thoroughly understanding their present as well as their past. This chapter discusses the area which is presently the conterminous United States, although there is of course considerable "overlap" with Canada and Middle America in respect to many historical/cultural features and processes. Indian movements within the Americas present interesting and important topics for research; although much remains to be learned, there have been a number of studies of prehistoric and early historical migrations by geographers. There were several distinctive American Indian culture areas by the time of permanent European settlement in what is the United States. The Northwest Coast or Salmon culture area extended along the mild, rainy coasts of North America from northern California to southern Alaska. Developments and conditions on American Indian reservations, as well as among off-reservation Indians, in many cases reflect aspects of the historical geography of the Amerindians.
