Pre-Columbian America

Pre-Columbian trade routes in North America, including those connected to Taos Pueblo in New Mexico, demonstrated sophisticated long-distance connectivity without reliance on European technologies like the horse or wheeled conveyances. These routes linked Indigenous communities from Canada to the Mayan and Inca cultures, utilizing established trails, rivers, and trading centers along major waterways such as the St. Lawrence and Rio Grande. The research highlights how these pre-Columbian networks later formed the basis for colonial roads and settlements, revealing the enduring legacy of Indigenous trade systems in shaping North American geography and culture.

French, L. A. (2019). Pre-Columbian America. Routledge Handbook on Native American Justice Issues, 4–9. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429020964-2