northern Indians a large cluster participated.[1] In conformity with the organization of society based upon kin, when in the first stage of its development, the kindred group inherited, and the common ancestor of this kin being considered a female, it follows that if a man died, not his children, still less his wife, but his mother's descendants, that is, his brothers, sisters, in fact the entire consanguine relationship from which he derived on his mother's side, were his heirs.[2] Such may have been the case even among the Muysca of New Granada.[3] It was different, however, in Mexico, where we meet with traces of a decided progress. Not only had descent been changed to the male line,[4] but heirship was limited, to the exclusion of the kin and of the agnates themselves, to the children of the male sex.[5] Whatever personal effects a father left, which were not offered up in sacrifice at the ceremonies of his funeral,[6] they were distributed among his male off-
- ↑ Mr. L. H. Morgan has investigated the customs of inheritance, not only among the northern Indians, hut also among the pueblo Indians of New Mexico. He establishes the fact, that the "kinship" or "gens," which we may justly consider as the unit of organization in American aboriginal society, participated in the property of the deceased. He proves it among the Iroquois ("Ancient Society," Part II, cap. II, pp. 75 and 76). Wyandottes, Id., cap. VII, p. 153. Missouri-tribes, p. 155. Winnebagoes, p. 157. Mandans, p. 158. Minnitarees, p. 159. Creeks, p. 161. Choctas, p. 162. Chickasas, p. 163. Ojibwas, p. 167; also Potowattomies and Crees, Miamis, p. 168. Shawnees, p. 169. Sauks, Foxes, and Menominies, p. 170. Delawares, p. 172. Munsees and Mohegans, p. 173. Finally, the pueblo Indians of New Mexico are shown to have, if not the identical at least a similar mode of inheritance. It would be easy to secure further evidence, from South America also.
- ↑ "Ancient Society" (Part II, cap. II, p. 75; Part IV, cap. I, pp. .528, 530, 531,. 536, and 537).
- ↑ Gomara ("Historia de las Indios," Vedia I, p. 201). Garcia ("Origen do los ludios," Lib. IV, cap. 23, p. 247). Piedrahita (Parte 1, Lib. I, cap. .5, p. 27). Joaquin Acosta ("Compendio historico del Descumbrimiento y Colonisazion de la Nueva-Granada," Cap. XI, p. 201). Teruaux-Compans ("L'ancien Cundinamarca," pp. 21 and 38).
- ↑ Motolinia (Trat. II, cap. V, p. 120). Gomara (p. 434). Clavigero (Lib. VII, cap. XIII). Zurita (pp. 12 and 43).
- ↑ Letter of Motolinia and Diego d'Olarte, to Don Luis do Velasco, Cholula, 27 Aug., 1554 ("Recueil," etc., etc., p. 407): "The daughters did not inherit; it was (he principal, wife's son. . . .' Besides, nearly every author designates but a son, or sons, as the heirs. There is no mention made of daughters at all. In Tlaxcallan, it is also expressly mentioned that the daughters did not inherit (Torquemada. Lib. XI, cap. XXII, p. 348). In general, the position of woman in ancient Mexico was a very inferior one, and but little above that which it occupies among Indians in general. (Compare the description of Gomara, p. 440, Vedia I, with those of Sahagun. Lib. X, cap. I, p. 1; cap. XIII, pp. 30, 31, 32, and 33. The fact is generally conceded). H. H. Bancroft, "Native Races," Vol. II, cap. VI, p. 224, etc.
- ↑ Motolinia (Trat. II, cap. V, p. 120). Torquemada (Lib. XIII, cap. XLII to XLVIII, pp. 515 to 529). Acosta (Lib. V, cap. VIII, pp. 320, 321, and 322). Gomara (pp. 436 and 437, Vedia, 1). Mendicta (Lib. II, cap. XL, pp. 162 and 163). Clavigero (Lib. VI, cap. XXXIX). "They burnt the clothes, arrows, and a portion of the household utensils. . . . "
ellos lo quo el les mandare." Clavigero (Lib. VII, cap. XIII): "In Mexico, and nearly the entire realm, the royal family excepted as already told, the sous succeeded to the father's rights; and if there were no sons, then the brothers, and the brothers' sous inherited." Bustamanto ("Tezcoco," etc., p. 219): In all these cases, Bustamante only speaks of chiefs; but the quotations from Motolinia and Gomara directly apply to the people in general.
