22 September 2025
By Publisher Ray Carmen
Unravelling the Myths Beyond Cowboys and Conquistadors When most people think of America’s early history, images of cowboys, settlers, and conquistadors immediately come to mind. Yet long before Europeans ever set foot on the continent, America was already home to rich and diverse civilizations that had flourished for thousands of years.
The first inhabitants of the Americas were Indigenous people who migrated from Asia, most likely crossing the Bering Land Bridge into Alaska during the Ice Age, at least 15,000 to 20,000 years ago. From there, they spread rapidly across the continents, adapting to every environment—from the frozen Arctic to the deserts of Mexico and the lush forests of the Amazon.
Among them were some of the greatest civilizations in human history:
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The Maya, Aztec, and Olmec in Mesoamerica, known for their astronomy, architecture, and mathematics.
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The Inca Empire in South America, whose road systems and agricultural terraces rival anything built in Europe at the same time.
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The Mississippian mound builders in North America, who created vast ceremonial centres and complex trade networks.
Far from being “empty” land awaiting European discovery, the Americas were already home to tens of millions of people, speaking thousands of languages, and shaping the land with sophisticated farming methods.
The idea of America’s story beginning with cowboys, pilgrims, or conquistadors erases this long legacy. The truth is that the first Americans were Indigenous peoples—keepers of the land, storytellers, healers, warriors, and innovators whose descendants remain a vital part of the continent’s identity today.
As we look back, it’s time to honour their endurance and achievements, and to expose the myths that reduce America’s origins to colonial conquest. The real history of the Americas stretches back not a few centuries, but many thousands of years.
