American Invasions: Archaeological Tales of Discovery and Encounter

Harvard FAS

In 1492 Native Americans discovered Europeans, changing the world forever. The European invasion of the Americas triggered demographic, economic, and ecological changes on an unprecedented scale. The subsequent movement of people, plants, animals, and goods prompted global shifts in population, exploitation of resources, and the transformation of environments on both sides of the Atlantic. What can anthropology and archaeology tell us about early encounters between Native…