Date of Award
2019-01-01
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
History
Advisor(s)
Brad J. Cartwright
Abstract
Between 1800 and 1860, Pacific Islanders sought answers to questions about the mechanics and origins of the universe, just as Americans did. But the systems of thought created by Natives addressing these matters generally would not have been considered "scientific" by Americans. Pacific Islanders and Americans, nevertheless, created extensive scientific traditions to systematically perceive, understand, and explain the nature of existence. These systems were rooted in religion, social dynamics, and other cultural norms, and manifested themselves in writing, artwork, explorations, and technologies that benefited their societies. Thus, this Thesis argues that the practice of scientific methods was not simply a Western phenomenon. Pacific Islanders, like Americans, sought to understand the universe by asking questions, ascribing causes to wonders, and experimenting with technologies. It further argues that the knowledge yielded by these groups circulated the globe, changing the course of scientific practices in the Pacific and America well into the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Language
en
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
Copyright Date
2019-05
File Size
138 pages
File Format
application/pdf
Rights Holder
Roberto Jesus Diaz
Recommended Citation
Diaz, Roberto Jesus, "Scientific Islanders: Pacific Peoples, American Scientists, and the Desire to Understand the World, 1800-1860" (2019). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 57.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/57
Included in
History of the Pacific Islands Commons, Pacific Islands Languages and Societies Commons, United States History Commons