I guess I’m a racist. But when you consider that the Native American Indian did not have a written language, did not understand the concept of Zero, did not have a means to count past “many”, had no concept of what a wheel was, nor a lever and the height of their science was making fire - I find it hard to conceive that they were astrology experts. They did not have tool specialization, agriculture nor understand how to domesticate animals. They were nomads, because they had no concept of how agriculture works. Their dwellings were temporary, for a very good reason. They had to follow the herds - like any other predator.
Perhaps, in the most basic sense, they could mark where the sun came up, and move that rock further and further along a shelf until the sun hit the equinox - but that would be about as far as their LIMITED knowledge would extend.
This is about astronomy and archeology, that's it. Not all societies or cultures are equal.
He’s talking about the Anasazi - quite a bit different than the Native American Indian. These were the types of guys that built the cave dwellings and adobe buildings in the SW.
But yes - I’ve always wondered about the Native American Indian that they did not figure out the wheel. Either their “traditions” and communal nature stifled them - or their surroundings (soft dirt?). Of course that soil didn’t stop the settlers on the Oregon Trail.
They definitely did have agriculture—corn, beans, squash probably chile peppers, and were settled for fairly long periods in the places where kivas were built. When they moved it was probably due to drought conditions and consequent warfare.
Remember how an indian taught the Pilgrims how to plant corn with a fish in the hole for fertilizer? In addition to the southwestern settled tribes, consider the Iriquois Confederation, they definitely gardened and traded.
As to astronomy, while there may not have been written language, many groups have detailed oral traditions which are passed on to their trainees. It is quite possible that our southwestern indians had some remnant knowledge from the Mayans and Toltecs which was very detailed.