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Although it was once hypothesized that these were made by giant extraterrestrial figures, scientists now say that the Indians could have made them with special techniques. However, the why's still remain.
Many of the Indian groups used a numbering sequence to count objects, timekeeping and calendars, and dozens of writing systems. In the Adena villages in the Ohio Valley, the residents grew "a multifarious suite of crops," such as tobacco, barley, maygrass, and knotweed. The Adena also built huge tombs for their nobles, which included copper beads and bracelets, stone tablets and collars, textiles and awls and stone pipes (256). The "Rubber People" may have invented rubber and used it themselves. The first traces of these people go back to 1800 BC.
That brings up another interesting aspect about the book -- it is not only the number of people who lived here that is amazing, but also the length of time they were established before the settlers came. The book includes the rise and fall of empires over a 20 millennia time period. The U.S., in comparison, is just a minor bump in the time line.
In many situations, Mann further describes information about a location and the different theories that are still not resolved in the endnotes. Although the notes to go with the copy are way in the back of the book, rather than at the end of the chapter or at the bottom of the page, they are easy to find with...
There are also appendixes giving additional in-depth material not contained in the front copy.
Mann's central theme that runs throughout the book as well as more in the later chapters is the Indian's understanding of the environment. He looks seriously at the conflict between the environmentalists and developers over time and now. It is a continuous controversy of humankind civilization vs. conservation. Unfortunately, his answer is somewhere in the middle and not very well expressed.
It is unfortunate that another main theme is the illness and decimation the Indian civilizations. The first smallpox epidemic in 1533 and subsequent ones killed "scores and hundreds," recalled one eyewitness to one of the outbreaks: "Villages were depopulated. Corpses were scattered over the fields or piled up the houses or huts...The fields were uncultivated; the herds were untended..." (87)
Mann's book and informative yet relaxed style of writing makes you really feel about these Indians and disappointed that they had to die out as they did -- that they had to die out at all. The next best thing is reading about them and Mann offers that opportunity.
References
Mann, Charles. 1491. New York: Albert Knopf, 2005.
Book Of Revelations Millennial Views and the Book of Revelation The Book of Revelations -- the final segment of the New Testament -- is a particularly contentious and divisive section of the Bible; considerable ambiguity exists surrounding whether to interpret the scripture literally or metaphorically, and the episodes described often seem especially fantastical. Moreover, the author's rhetoric leaves room for multiple interpretations, resulting in the reader drawing unverifiable interpretations. Acknowledging the caveat
The book highlights the actions of the divine, rather than the actions of man. However, if one takes the historical interpretation of the Book of Revelation, the moral content is not lessened. It then stands as an example of what happens to one if they continue to act in a certain way. It is another example of God's punishment and wrath for those that do not obey his word. In
Those who rebelled against him are killed and the earth is ruined to ashes. Satan remains on the earth for one thousand more years. After that time elapses, Jesus returns to the earth to found New Jerusalem and set his kingdom on earth. Satan resurrects all wicked who died and perished before and orders them to attack New Jerusalem. Satan's army is stopped by God and is judged (executionary
Second, the historicist view sees Revelations as "a sweeping panorama of ancient history between the first and second comings of Jesus Christ" (Wilson, 357). Third, the futurist view maintains that Revelations deals with end times which in essence removes the text from the author's own time period. And fourth, the idealistic or poetical view suggests that Revelations is purely subjective in nature and encourages Christians to endure their sufferings
The Book solemnly promises that good triumphs over evil, faithfulness will be amply rewarded and justice will be meted out (BBC Team, White). Researchers have also found certain inaccuracies and points of contention. The troubling seven-headed Beast, which rises from the sea and demands to be worshipped as God, symbolizes Rome, the city of seven hills (BBC Team 2001). The number 666 of the Beast has led to speculations and
This choice has to do with the free will God gave all humankind at the beginning, as written in Genesis 1-4: since the days of Adam and Eve. Inherently, we may wish to do good with our free will, just as Eve wished not to eat from the Tree of Life. But like Eve and Adam, we must struggle within ourselves against doing evil instead. Adam and Eve's expulsion from