es’; while the others built strong log homes to stay. Communal sharing extended to land use, the hunt and the home. Although one particular family ploughed a piece of land, they did not own it. It belonged to the entire tribe. The women especially from the Iroquois tribe played a major role in political matters. In this tribe (Iroquois) which lived in villages, married men stayed or joined the family of their wires. And while the women did the farming, the men went out to hunt, fish and war. So influential was the authority of the women in this tribe, that they sometimes prevented military expeditions by refusing to supply food or footwear. Within the tribe, there was a healthy spirit of competition in hunting, fishing and fighting, children were brought up on egalitarian values. Without any written laws or jails, order and discipline was maintained, by way of ostracism. Though civilized, their lack of technological knowledge - especially in the used of weapons, rifles, etc. and a lack of unity between the various tribes were the 2 main reasons for their inability to resist the European onslaught in the New World. Initially, these tribes accepted the white foreigners in their midst, and helped them to adjust and learn about their new environment. However, soon a bitter struggle ensued. For as European settlements increased, land grabbing and the control of fur trade at the expense of the native Indians caused a long, bloody war in the north. Not content with cattle raising and sugar plantations, the Spanish Monarchy wanted wealth to fill their coffers. Moreover, rumors were afloat about the existence of civilizations in Mexico and South America, known for their wealth. 1.4 The Dark Age The Dark Age began in the fourth century with the coming of the Barbarians who invaded the mighty Roman Empire and destroyed it. They brought about great destruction. However even during the Dark Age, which lasted up to, the eleventh century, rulers...
