Traditional histories leave the impression that once Native American peoples came into contact with Europeans, their importance in history clearly waned as they became "marginalized." This groundbreaking study shows that this was never the case. By putting the story of the native peoples and their encounters with Europeans at the center, a new history emerges in which the indigenous peoples become vibrant and vitally important components of the British, French, Spanish, and Portuguese empires. Discussing these empires holistically helps provide a more coherent account of the colonial world....

Traditional histories of North and South America often leave the impression that Native American peoples had little impact on the colonies and empires established by Europeans after 1492. This groundbreaking study, which spans more than 300 years, demonstrates the agency of indigenous peoples in forging their own history and that of the Western Hemisphere. By putting the story of the indigenous peoples and their encounters with Europeans at the center, a new history of the "New World" emerges in which the Native Americans become vibrant and vitally important components of the British, French,...