New Revelations of Pre-Columbian America: Indigenous Peoples and Early Settlements

In this groundbreaking exploration blending science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann revolutionizes our perception of the Americas prior to Columbus's arrival in 1492. Contrary to traditional teachings, the pre-Columbian Indians did not inhabit a sparsely populated wilderness. Instead, they were a populous group actively shaping and influencing their surrounding environment. The impressive Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, boasted advanced infrastructure like running water and pristine streets, surpassing contemporary European cities in size. Through a sophisticated breeding process, Mexican cultures developed corn, often described as mankind's earliest form of genetic engineering. Far from passively coexisting with their land, these Indians intricately landscaped and manipulated their world in ways only now becoming fully understood. This thought-provoking and revelatory perspective offers a fresh insight into a captivating world we thought we knew.