Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World

Jack Weatherford argues that the peoples of the Americas shaped the world far more than most histories acknowledge. He looks at the crops they bred, including potatoes, maize, tomatoes and cacao, the medicines they discovered, such as quinine, the gold and silver that fueled European economies, and the ideas of democracy and government that reached Europe. He shows how these contributions altered diet, wealth and politics worldwide.

It suits readers of world and Native American history who want a corrective to the idea that civilization flowed only from Europe. It is full of surprising examples.

Outward-looking and clear-cut; a moderate read.

Best for readers like The Evidence Seeker. Which reader are you?