1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

  How does one write a work of history regarding a subject matter with very little, if any, written historical record? The task is a difficult one to be sure, and a researcher may find themselves more so writing a work of archaeology than of traditional history. In his monumental text 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, Charles C. Mann was able to thread the needle between hardcore history and archaeological record that makes for an exhilarating and informative read. A subject matter that lends itself to dry lecturing comes alive with Mann’s engaging writing style and keen attention to detail, often utilizing the historical record we do possess to paint a clear portrait of what life was like in the Americas before European contact. The way this
book made me think about the grand history of our continent, as opposed to the very narrow focus of United States history that is my default area of study, opened my eyes to a vast amount of history that is often overlooked. Professor Elliot West, historian at the University of Arkansas, describes the history of the Americas thusly: if your outstretched arm represents a timeline of North America’s history, United States history is the tip of your fingernail, capable of being shaved off with one stroke of a nail file. This book provides an overview of the rest of that “arm”. 

Mann covers a plethora of engaging topics throughout this book, detailing various European explorations, the effect of disease, descriptions of impressive Native American settlements, and indigenous ingenuity, to name a few. He never spends too much time diving into one topic in particular, giving just enough to come away feeling as if you’ve scratched the itch for some knowledge on the subject. That is not to say that his scholarship is not impressive, however. As someone who prefers to study eras of history with primary sources readily available in large quantities, I am impressed by how much specific detail Mann is able to include within this work when the historical record is inherently limited. Those of us who infrequently think about the history of the Americas before Columbus will particularly appreciate the descriptions of societal features such as crop breeding and artistic sculpture that give us insight into who these people were and how they lived. 

One section of the book that I found especially interesting featured a description of the ancient “city” of Cahokia, located outside of modern day St. Louis. While it was more so a large collection of farmers, as opposed to an urban environment in the sense we think of them today, it was impressive.  A settlement that developed out of the Mississippian cultures of the first millennium, Cahokia was for its time the single Native American urban settlement within the current United States or Canada. While the bulk of the thriving indigenous American societies existed below the Rio Grande, Cahokia stood as an outlier, being of comparable size to London in the year 1250. The place featured large, pyramid-like earthen mounds that were an incredible feat of engineering and design due to their clay foundation and impressive height. The fact that the agricultural knowledge and techniques of these people were able to support an estimated population of 15-20,000 people underscores just how much of an outlier this place was. As quickly as Cahokia rose, it fell due to a variety of factors such as uncontrolled flooding and earthquakes that caused the abandonment of the city after its five hundred year existence. Mann explains the uniqueness of Cahokia in such a way that really stuck in my mind and is an example of the variety of populations that existed within the continents pre Columbus. 

A true dad historian should be well versed on a range of historical subjects, including the “pre-history” on the land one inhabits. Mann can help you check that box and add an interesting set of facts to your small talk repertoire, allowing you to dazzle acquaintances with tales of the early Americas. Alright, dazzle might be a bit strong of a term, but I challenge you to find someone who will not take at least some interest in the contents of this book.