American Colonies: The Settling of North America

In breaking free of Anglocentrism, Taylor draws the Indians out from the “wilderness” of history as central protagonists in his narrative. In doing so, the full scale of Indian loss becomes clear. The colonies’ success, Taylor argues, was underpinned by what historian John Murrin called “a tragedy of such huge proportions that no one’s imagination can easily encompass it all” (xi). For the Indians, this tragedy can be distilled to three major themes: the decimation of native numbers and culture; European unwillingness to understand or accommodate native ways; and the Indians’ own inability to unite in resistance.

In devoting a full chapter to the history of the Indians before the Europeans arrived, Taylor debunks the myth of pre-colonial America as “virgin” land. North America was in fact widely populated by a diverse array of Indian groups, some of whom were wiped out by European microbes before the Europeans even encountered them. In addition to bringing disease, the Europeans also massacred Indians on a scale that surprised their native allies, who did not conduct “total war” as the Europeans did. Taylor spares no detail in describing the many atrocities the Indians suffered.

Those who survived disease and conflict saw titanic changes to their culture.