Polynesians and Indigenous South Americans were both skilled ocean explorers who likely met, traded plants like sweet potatoes and manioc, and possibly even animals like chickens. The strongest proof of this contact is genetic evidence,...

Evidence suggests that Polynesians and Indigenous Americans didn’t just meet—they may have traded important plants and animals too. Crops like sweet potatoes, manioc, and achira, all native to the Americas, were found on Polynesian...

Polynesians and Indigenous South Americans were both skilled ocean voyagers, and during the years 800–1200 CE, both groups were exploring the Pacific. A 2020 genetic study found Native American DNA in Polynesians that dates back to...

Ancient South Americans built big balsa wood rafts that could sail long distances and supported active sea trade. Some legends, like those of Inca leader Tupac Yupanqui sailing to far-off islands, show how important ocean travel was to...

Coastal people in South America were skilled sailors who used the Pacific Ocean as a trade route for thousands of years, especially trading prized goods like Spondylus shells. Some archaeologists believe there may have been contact...

Over centuries, historic Polynesians became expert sailors and navigators who explored and settled thousands of islands across the Pacific. They built strong double-hulled canoes, carried plants and animals with them, and used advanced...

Around 1100 CE, skilled Polynesian sailors may have reached the Americas, meeting Indigenous people from across the sea. Though we don’t have written records, scientists now believe this meeting really happened, based on shared foods,...

The Maya collapse didn’t have one clear cause—it happened in different ways across different regions. While war, environmental stress, and power struggles all played a role, the real story is how the Maya responded by transforming their...

The Maya collapse wasn’t just a Maya event—many other major cities in Mesoamerica fell around the same time. In the Postclassic period that followed, royal power faded and many cities shifted to shared rule by noble families, trade moved...

During the 9th century, foreign styles in art, pottery, writing, and buildings began to show up in Maya cities—especially those trying to bounce back. Some rulers even showed themselves with both Maya and foreign features, suggesting...

As the Maya civilization neared its collapse, warfare became more intense and brutal in some regions, with some cities being destroyed and elites massacred. Evidence from sites like Kiuic and Aguateca shows that violence overwhelmed...

In the late 700s and early 800s, Maya nobles started gaining more power as royal authority began to weaken. At cities like Copán and Yaxchilan, nobles built their own monuments and played bigger roles in government, which had been...

During the late 700s and early 800s, environmental changes began to affect Maya cities. Some of these problems may have been caused by the Maya themselves - deforestation and soil overuse may have led to food shortages and population...

Even as many Maya cities fell during the 9th century, some places like Caracol, Seibal, and sites in the northern Yucatán managed short-lived comebacks. These cities built monuments and revived traditions for a while, but most eventually...

At the start of the 9th century, the Maya civilization went through a major crisis—cities were abandoned, kings lost power, and populations dropped sharply. This period, known as the Maya collapse, wasn’t the end of the Maya people, but...

A major drought hit the Maya region around 800 CE, putting serious pressure on farming and water supplies in many cities. While some scientists believe this drought helped cause the Maya collapse, others point out that many cities in...

This video covers the history and characteristics of quinoa, an ancient grain that has gained popularity in recent years. The video also explores the rediscovery of quinoa by Americans in the 1970s and its cultivation in various...

The Inca Empire was a large and powerful civilization that covered a region from Ecuador to Chile and had 12 million inhabitants at its height. Was quinoa their recipe for success?<b<br/>r/>

Quinoa part 3/5