Overview of Chapter 20 by Tyler Huang
The colorful and unique cultures of the Americas and Oceania developed independently and had virtually no impact from any European until Cortes, Columbus and other European explorers set off to conquer new lands. The western hemisphere in the middle ages was very different to European culture and even the western hemisphere now. Rich traditions and institutions flourished, religions were varied and mostly all polytheistic and some tribes could even rival the Old World in scientific advancement. In Worlds Apart: Americas and Oceania, many new perspectives and insights are shown through the new types of people and cultures introduced.