Myth of a Pristine Wilderness
there were approximately 112 million inhabitants prior to 1492
How do we know that the myth of a "pristine wilderness" is a false belief that gets retold in origin stories?Â
One way we know the myth of the "pristine wilderness" is a false narrative is because the European settlers would have starved to death if the east coast was just a dense forest. The forest was not dense and uninterrupted, the natives had cleared certain areas they called deer parks to attract deer for hunting and other areas for agriculture and community buildings.
We also know the narrative is false because the US military used roads built by Native nations to launch attacks against various tribes. Another often overlooked aspect of Native American infrastructure was their impressive canal systems, which transported water throughout the Southeast. Some of these canals were 20 feet wide and 16 feet deep. Native Americans also used fire to manage forests and nourish the soil, occasionally burning grasslands to replenish them.
Another way we know the "pristine wilderness" myth is false is through maps made by early European settlers. A map by French colonists marked many Native nations' villages, towns, and cities. Knowing and mapping these locations was crucial for the colonists' survival. It was important for Europeans to document these areas to avoid the larger towns and cities where they might be overwhelmed by force.
We also know very little of the mound cultures that built impressive earthen mounds throughout the Mississippi Delta area, including Cahokia, a massive city near modern-day St Louis, Missouri. Apparently, in 1250 CE, Cahokia was a major metropolis, larger than London, at the time, and housed tens of thousands of people. According to The Washington Post, Cahokia was the largest city north of Mexico City before Columbus and featured 120 earthen mounds. Link below
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/march/12/cahokia.htm
The myth of North America being sparsely inhabited once you do minimal research (Google search). The origin myth relies on the fallacy that before Europeans arrived Native Americans were just nomadic savages that did not have an organized society or culture. In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth, and like most things Merica, once you start pulling on that unraveling thread, the entire sweater comes undone. Every area of the country was occupied and according to Stanford College Libraries, estimates of native population were as high as 112 million.Â
https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/2182945
There were some 536 native nations in what is now the United States and 600 if you include what is now Canada and Mexico.
 Below is a link to a map of native nations.
The maps of Native nations debunk the narrative that the Americas were sparsely inhabited by a few nomadic tribes before the arrival of Europeans. Before European arrival, there were an estimated 112 million people in what is now the US, roughly a third of our current population. These facts contradict the origin myth of the United States as a force for good and justice. This country was founded on brutality, bloodshed, oppression, and omission. The real history is hidden from us and whitewashed to make it palatable.