JEREMY ADELMAN

Most of us have little idea of many of the benefits that have come from the native, indigenous population of the Americas. And most assume that it was only Europe that interacted with the “New World”. China however obtained the sweet potato from South America and its productivity and nutritional value benefitted those areas of China not ideal for rice cultivation.

Cahokia was a very large Native American city just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. In 1250, its population was about 15,000, comparable to that of London or Paris during the same period. At the time of the American Revolution, it was larger than New York, Boston of Philadelphia having 40,000 inhabitants at its peak. Tiahuanaco was a large city—30,000 at its peak—in Bolivia. The very ability to create and sustain such large communities shows that the Indians of the Americas were not simply hunter-gatherers but were very sophisticated in manipulating their environment and organizing large numbers of people.

Most of us have little idea of many of the benefits that have come from the native, indigenous population of the Americas. And most assume that it was only Europe that interacted with the “New World”. China however obtained the sweet potato from South America and its productivity and nutritional value benefitted those areas of China not ideal for rice cultivation.

Cahokia was a very large Native American city just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. In 1250, its population was about 15,000, comparable to that of London or Paris during the same period. At the time of the American Revolution, it was larger than New York, Boston of Philadelphia having 40,000 inhabitants at its peak. Tiahuanaco was a large city—30,000 at its peak—in Bolivia. The very ability to create and sustain such large communities shows that the Indians of the Americas were not simply hunter-gatherers but were very sophisticated in manipulating their environment and organizing large numbers of people.