310 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[Bull. 196 



Because of the pervasiveness of the Middle Class values derived 

 from the Protestant Ethic, even those Rural Whites and Generalized 

 Indians whose economic position is still insecure are inclined toward 

 these precepts. Their lack of success is ascribed to misfortune or 

 to some weakness in themselves. As a consequence of their more 

 precarious financial situation, and of the general isolation and lower 

 level of education in the mountain area in general, they have lower 

 aspirations for their offspring, although they do anticipate improve- 

 ment in material and educational matters for their children. General- 

 ized Indians, Rural Whites, and the Middle Class all cling to this 

 values system, but in various degrees of intensity. Table 13 sets 

 forth the distribution of the traits typifying the two basic values 

 systems, in terms of Thomas' four acculturative groups. 



Table 13. — Distribution of selected informants in terms of two dominant value 



systems 



Selected aspects of dominant value systems 



Selected informants 



Conserv- 

 ative 

 (No. =20) 



General- 

 ized 

 Indian 



(No. = 11) 



Rural 



White 



(No. = ll) 



Middle 



Class 



(No.=12) 



Harmony ethic: 



Interpersonal behavior: 



Intermediary 



Generosity 



Aggression— Aggressiveness 



Nonempirical beliefs: 



Immanent justice 



Magic, signs, omen 



Concept of self— Secure as an Indian. 

 Protestant ethic: 



Interpersonal behavior: 



Directness 



Generosity 



Aggression — Aggressiveness 



Self-reliance 



Absence of nonempirical beliefs 



Concepts of self^Overt ambivalence. 



17 (3*) 

 17 (3*) 

 20 



17 



16 (4*) 



20 



♦Modified behavior in terms of given trait. 



The analysis of the paramount values and associated behavior 

 demonstrates that the Cherokee cannot be placed in four groups on a 

 scale from "like Indian" to "unlike Indian." They can, however, 

 be separated into two categories on the basis of their adherence to 

 one or the other values systems. The Conservatives are clearly a 

 distinct group, identifiable by their allegiance to the Harmony Ethic. 

 The others — the Generalized Indian, the Rural White, and the 

 Middle Class — who resemble each other far more than they resemble 

 Conservatives, are motivated by the Protestant Ethic. 



To be sure, there are departures from the norms of each of the value 

 systems by members of both groups. There are six Conservatives 

 who have modified their behavior patterns in the direction of the 



