TOW #4- IRB/ "1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus"/ Charles C. Mann

In most history textbooks, Native Americans have been stereotyped wrongly. Even their other name, "Indians" incorrectly labeled them and has stuck with them since Columbus first landed in the West Indies. 1491: New Revolutions of the Americas Before Columbus is an in-depth history of "the true story of the natives in America before Columbus" by Charles C. Mann, magazine correspondent, awarded author, and National Magazine Award finalist. It focuses on the real facts of Native American life, things that are not well-known by most people or omitted completely from textbooks (i.e. Was Plymouth really built directly on top of a Wampanoag village? Did Native American tribes just simply vanish from the Americas prior to the arrival of Europeans, or were Europeans involved? ). Mann attempts to portray how much the average person assumes about the Native Americans and how much they “know” really comes from fact. To do this, he artfully and successfully compares and contrasts the history of the Americas found in textbooks with new facts, statistics and observations that historians, archaeologists, and anthropologists have uncovered recently about Native American society. For example, he brings the famous “friendly Indian”, Sqaunto, from childhood Thanksgiving tales and instead describes him as Tisquantum, a Wampanoag guard who learned English while in captivity. He appeals to logos and ethos through exemplification and stories of his own travels, adding to the professionalism of his book and making it more interesting than other non-fiction, which can sometimes very dry and bland to read. Mann gears his writing toward a mature audience comprised of scholars, historians, and those who are just interested in history. The language he uses is appropriate for both teenagers and adults due to powerful but understandable diction. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus is enlightening and non-stereotypical, categorizing Native Americans as they should be categorized- as advanced, intelligent human beings.