|
Read a book called 1491. It is about pre-Columbus in North and South America.
One interesting fact, the population in the Western Hemisphere peaked at around 70M, somewhere before 1000AD. Somewhere between then and the arrival of the Spanish, the population of the entire Western Hemisphere dropped to 7M. Yes, one tenth of the peak.
I wonder if some of the Viking ships that made it to North America accidentally released a few plague infested rats. That could account for the population loss and the timing.
If Columbus and Amerigo and Cortez had encountered populations 10 times larger, they might have had more issues defeating the local populations.
__________________
James
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the engineer adjusts the sails.- William Arthur Ward (1921-1994)
Red-beard for President, 2020
|