Wild West forts weren't built to withstand sieges, simply because the Natives had no opportunity to use artillery or even massed assaults (except for very rare situations). The Army had no need to prepare for any sort of large scale battle, and instead needed to construct something that could at least keep the Natives out as well as to secure an area and give a location that soldiers and civilians could retreat to if necessary.
Besides the fort itself and soldiers, Playmobil 5245 Western: Fort Brave set also came with two Native Americans and their horse, plus weapons. The horse is different from that of the United States Cavalry and both American Indians are not identical.
Indigenous peoples of the United States are commonly known as Native Americans or American Indians, and Alaskan Natives. The European colonization of the Americas forever changed the lives and cultures of the peoples of the continents. Although the exact pre-contact population of the Americas is unknown, scholars estimate that Native American populations diminished by between 80 and 90% within the first centuries of contact with Europeans. Native Americans suffered high mortality rates due to their lack of prior exposure to these diseases. The loss of lives was exacerbated by violence on the part of colonists who frequently perpetrated massacres on the indigenous groups and enslaved them. (source: wiki)
Red Indians are now known as Native American or American Indians. The origin of the term "Red Man" is not clear. Native Americans are known to have a copperish or brownish hue although some Native Americans can get sunburn and turn redish. Many tribes did paint themselves for war and red may have been the most popular color to indicate tribes intention for combat. Other sources say red referred to the bloody scalps of victims.
Playmobil Red Indians also came with flaming arrows. In reality, flaming arrows aren't as simple as just lighting the end of an arrow on fire and shooting it. It requires covering the end in cloth and oil before dipping it in fire and lighting it up.
Extra accessories include flames and additional plant / shrub.
Related posts:
September 14, 2007 – Wild Wild West 3: Indians posted HERE
August 17, 2008 – Dragon Models Limited DML "Windtalkers (2002)" movie 1/6 scale USMC Code Talker Private Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach) 12-inch figure reviewed HERE
August 19, 2008 – G.I. Joe 1/6 scale Navajo Code Talker 12-inch figure (pictures HERE)
Playmobil's are cool but are a tough sell for my nieces & nephew who rather get Lego playsets.
ReplyDeleteLego is cool too but I myself prefer the larger size of Playmobil sets. Feels like more bang for your buck haha
ReplyDeleteThe use of the word "red" probably has to do with the red ochres and clays that Native Americans often spread on their skin as defense against the elements, particularly insects and the sun. A particularly important influence in this regard was the Beothuk tribe of what is now Newfoundland. Reddish skin protection materials are particularly abundant on the Eastern seaboard, where Europeans first encountered Native Americans and a lot of ideas about them became quite entrenched. Another reason this "red" idea probably resonated and stuck with European settlers was the color coded racial categories of Carolus Linnaeus's System Naturae (his categories were red, white, yellow and black, which he associated with the four "humors" (white was sanguine, black phlegmatic, red choleric, yellow melancholic). It was truly a priceless example of absolute junk science.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that interesting and enlightening piece of info :)
ReplyDelete