Week 7: Article (Charles C. Mann's "1491 - The Americas Before European Contact.") 2

Question 1

Which Indigenous culture is known for constructing large earthen mounds in the Mississippi Valley?

Answer 1

The Mississippian culture.

Question 2

Why did Indigenous groups use controlled burns, and what was the ecological impact?

Answer 2

Controlled burns were used to clear land and promote biodiversity, creating managed ecosystems.

Question 3

What does Mann suggest about the population density of the Americas before European arrival?

Answer 3

It was much higher than traditionally believed, with large, organized communities.

Question 4

What effect did Indigenous environmental management practices have on European perceptions of the land?

Answer 4

They contradicted European beliefs that the land was a wilderness, showing it was actively managed.

Question 5

How does Mann’s work challenge colonial narratives about Indigenous lands?

Answer 5

By showing the land was heavily populated and cultivated, challenging the idea that it was “unused” or “undeveloped.”

Question 6

What technique did the Inca use to farm on steep mountainsides?

Answer 6

Terracing.

Question 7

What is one reason the “pristine myth” is inaccurate?

Answer 7

Indigenous people modified landscapes significantly through practices like controlled burns and agriculture.

Question 8

How do the findings in “1491” alter the common view of Indigenous societies’ technological capabilities?

Answer 8

They show Indigenous societies had advanced technologies, like irrigation systems and agricultural innovations.

Question 9

What larger message does Mann convey about the history of the Americas before European contact?

Answer 9

Indigenous societies were diverse, complex, and actively shaped their environment, challenging outdated narratives.

Question 10

Indigenous societies in the Americas used which technique to manage and shape their landscapes?

A) Terra Preta
B) Chinampas
C) Controlled Burns
D) Irrigation Canals

Answer 10

C