Negative Stereotyping in the Early American Geographies

Abstract

The first systematic and reasonably comprehensive study of negative cultural stereotyping in early American geography textbooks reveals that the authors did use many negative adjectives in describing peoples, as has been reported on the basis of sometimes flimsy evidence throughout the twentieth century. Turks, Russians, New Hollanders, Lapps, Malayans, North American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and Portuguese especially were apt to be viewed negatively. On the other hand, this systematic study reveals that not all early geographical writers were guilty of negative cultural stereotyping, and that many others made an obvious effort to balance negative adjectives with positive ones.