The original Americans were erased from history when the Spanish invaders did everything in their power to destroy any and all evidence of a legitimate society already living in their area of influence once they decided to level it and build their own Eurocentric world in its place, using native slave labor or killing them if they didn't succumb. What has been buried in Spanish accounts has always been the acknowledgement of suicides which followed the brutal conquests.
After erasing the board holding their information, European "scientists" following the genocides weire basically shooting in the dark, whistling in the wind, or even making it up, creating what served as an historical view of those who came before us!
Now, at least, science is developing tools to help throw light on the bare bones of what has gone on before the European destruction of the "New World." What they've stumbled across is overpowering already.
Welcome to DU, bernieb. It's a terrific time to join DU, as so much is happening! No dull moments, for sure. 
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