Ancient society / Lewis Henry Morgan ; foreword by Elisabeth Tooker.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Morgan, Lewis Henry, 1818-1881.

Series:

Classics of anthropology (Tucson, Ariz.)

Classics of anthropology

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social structure.

Social evolution.

Political anthropology.

Physical Description:

xxxii, 560 pages ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

Tucson, Ariz. : University of Arizona Press, 1985.

Summary:

Lewis Henry Morgan studied the American Indian way of life and collected an enormous amount of factual material on the history of primitive-communal society. All the conclusions he draws are based on these facts; where he lacks them, he reasons back on the basis of the data available to him. He determined the periodization of primitive society by linking each of the periods with the development of production techniques. The "great sequence of inventions and discoveries;" and the history of institutions, with each of its three branches -- family, property and government -- constitute the progress made by human society from its earliest stages to the beginning of civilization. Mankind gained this progress through 'the gradual evolution of their mental and moral powers through experience, and of their protracted struggle with opposing obstacles while winning their way to civilization.'

Notes:

Reprint. Originally published: New York : H. Holt, 1878, c1877.

Includes index.

Bibliography: pages xxvii-xxviii.

ISBN:

0816509247

OCLC:

11815698