Adoption of Old World Crops and Processes of Cultural Change in the Historic Southeast

Abstract

on subsistence change during the Historic period. These characteristics include similarity to traditional crops, rei, atively high yields, and low risk. Restriction of crop introductions to species that could thrive under traditional plant husbandry can be attributed to the indirect nature of most trade contacts during the seventeenth century. In addition, the exclusive adoption of crops that could be comfortably incorporated into existing patterns of subsistence reveals a tendency of native groups to continue familiar subsistence activities when such an option was available. This finding indicates that traditional agriculture was basically effective in meeting the needs of native populations during the early period of European-Indian contact.