Today’s blog post spotlights the newest of the books on this list, written by Dave Patterson, author and speaker known as the1492guy.
Published in 2018, Dave’s book, 500 Years of Lies: Discover the Extraordinary Number of Native Indian Gifts to the World, highlights the gifts that the native inhabitants of America provided to the world, for which they are given very little credit.
Following in the footsteps of the late activist Ray Fadden, Dave shares fascinating historical accounts from the conquest and colonial periods that show that Europeans and Native Americans were clear equals, and that much of the accomplishments of the inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere have been forgotten and excluded from the history books.
For example, did you know that 75% of the food we eat today comes from what is known as the “New World”? Or that concepts of democracy, women’s rights and brain surgery were known and practiced on this side of the world?
500 Years of Lies covers these concepts and more in a clear, captivating collection that, in the author’s words, “guarantees you can change the world in one afternoon”.
The book is organized in three sections:
- Lies and Truth
- The Extraordinary Number of Native Indian Gifts to the World
- Whose Continents?
Personally, my favorite section is Section 2, on gifts. I am constantly amazed by the sheer volume of gifts that we have received from the original inhabitants of the Americas, and bewildered at the lack of credit given to them for their contributions.
Click here to purchase the book.
If you’re interested in learning more about the1492guy, click here to visit the website!
Mesoamerican Studies Online 