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Show 208 BASIS OF AMERICAN HISTORY [ 1500 to have been a social and religious group. 1 The warriors of the tribe were divided into four bands, each corresponding to a phratry and each under the leadership of a phratry captain. Such a military subdivision was probably not present, however, in any of the northern tribes. The next step in the social organization of the Indians was the tribe^^ It has already been remarked that this is an indefinite term, referring sometimes to a single village and sometimes to a number of such local groups. In certain stocks where the social system is closely knit there is no difficulty in drawing the tribal lines. In others, where the organization is looser- for example, on the plateaus - definition becomes difficult if not impossible. The features which are generally regarded as characteristic of a tribe, in distinction to any other group, larger or smaller, are the possession of a dialert and territory, iWH ^ ^ ^ nf n n n m p and separate government.? Of these characteristics the dialect may be regarded as determinant.\ Continuity of territory will, naturally, exist for the tribe in the vast majority of case^ since geographical separation of related bands is exactly the factor which tends to bring about dialectic as well as general independence, and hence favors the formation of new tribes. 1 Bandelier," On the Art of War and Mode of Warfare of the Ancient Mexicans " ( Peabody Museum, Tenth Annual Report). ' Morgan, Ancient Society, 10a. |