They Had Names

Despite the complex subject matter, the author presents his arguments in a manner that is approachable for any reader I liked how he included personal anecdotes and travel experiences to make the material more relatable. This book presents a thought-provoking narrative that will challenge your understandings of North American Indigenous history.

Ever feel like the history of America begins late in the “game” so to speak? Typically you get a brief overview of the Native Americans or Indians as they were when the first settlers began to arrive and nothing before that. They had names seeks to use archeological and genetics to go further back and give a much more detailed (though admittedly not comprehensive) view of the people that lived on the land we call America for millennia before it was settled by Europeans. In addition to giving more of the history, it also shows how that history helps to support a young earth point of view. This is a great book that can be used to help your children about the history of the Native American people. High schoolers or very interested middle schoolers could use it for independent learning, but it is also great for adults and the information could be shared with younger children.

I wish this had been written back when I studied about Native Americans in high school. The history on how they came to North America has always interested me.
The author writes it in a way that takes you on the journey with him. It’s enjoyable to read and was easy to follow.
I grew up around some of the places the author speaks of, and saw the places he references. I never knew the historical significance of those areas until reading this book. The Author does a wonderful job of bringing alive history by connecting the historical dots between the history I did learn in school and the personal Native American history most of us are not told and then adding in genetics.

I loved being able to start reading a book about the history of our country before the settlers from Europe crossed the Atlantic. The author traveled to many sites, interviewed many tribes, and did a lot of research including DNA and linguistics. Seeing how people traveled across the Bering Straight and down through North America to Central America and on, as well as the eastward travel through linguistics, DNA, and archeology was very interesting.
I need to say, the physical book is better than the e-book. In the back of the book are many pictures and maps that are frequently referenced in the text.
I do recommend this book. Keep in mind, it is not a quick or light read. It is very informative. While informative from a historical standpoint, to include it in a students education would be best in 11th or 12th grade.

This book really excited me as something I haven’t encountered before: a historical accounting of Native American people groups through scientific findings. Honestly, it was so, so much more than that. Nathaniel Jeanson presents a compelling narrative of his own discoveries with no lack of scientific, genetic, geographical, archaeological, mathematical, or native heritage evidence. I joined right along as he sought answers to questions using all of the evidence above as well ask speculation and alternative viewpoints where concrete evidence didn’t give an answer. It is a travel novel exploring a variety of native ruins and heritage sites; it is a scientific paper, citing findings of researchers relevant and intriguing to back up the points made; it is a methodical walk through a Native American history I never received in my formal education.

My only difficulty is that I wish the Figures Section with graphics and photos were spread throughout the book where noted, rather than sandwiched between ch. 8 & 9. It is a bit more difficult to find them in the ebook. I did find them very helpful to exhibit concepts I wouldn’t have grasped without visual assistance, like mound formations and genetic trees.
This is definitely more of a high school or adult read, but is an excellent example of using a variety of sources and quoting them to encourage your point.

As I have been going through the history cycles with my kids, I have found that I have a love for history that I previously did not have. I picked this book up because it very much intrigued me and it has left me wanting to learn more of this topic after finishing it!

Jeanson does an excellent job at tackling a subject that still has a lot to be learned. He simplifies deep topics in a way that the every day person can comprehend. I found the DNA-based family trees, topography, and language connections to be fascinating.

This book addresses things about our history that I never was taught in school and I can’t wait to share this with my kids as they grow up. I would probably introduce this book at the high school level.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book. I was so sad when it was over. Getting the big picture of the pre-contact indigenous Americans has given me a fresh perspective on history. I love how Jeanson interweaves into one story ancient records, new scientific findings, and the unsolved mysteries for future study.

Although Jeanson is discussing some pretty advanced ideas, he has simplified his studies into laymen's terms while still going deep. This is definitely a book I hope to have my children read in the upper levels of highschool once they have a foundation laid from their other courses to get the most out of this book.

There are many figures and maps to make sense of the places and movements of people groups referenced in the book. Although they are included in the physical book, I highly recommend going to the interactive map on AIGs site as referenced in the footnotes to follow along for the best experience. You can also download the files to reference on the go.

Well, I think a book like this should’ve been written a long time ago! I appreciate all the effort and hard work the author went to to gather the information, as well as then doing a great job at relaying it to the reader.
I would think this is a must have resource for every Homeschool family, especially those who live in/ come from North America. I do believe that international families could also benefit from reading about this time in history because it reveals not just the history of a specific nation but the tendencies of the human heart. I appreciate how the author brought in Biblical insights. Because without the Word of God as a lens through which we view everything, I believe we will only see in part.