Were Native Americans (Indians) really savages? (use 1491 article from The Atlantic Monthly)

The article, 1491, by Charles C. Mann, shows us how North America actually was, in the years before Columbus arrived. From the correspondent of Atlantic Monthly and Business 2.0, Mann presents us with evidence to combat the common misconception that all Indians were savages, and they had no technological advancements whatsoever. This article is riddled with evidence, to support, contrary to popular opinion, during the time before Columbus' arrival, the Americas were a pleasant and beautiful place …

…savages" as called by the first explorers, but they were more or less like a regular civilized group of people. Their major contributions to the Amazon rainforest, and staple crops, are now being recognized by historians and anthropologists around the world. It will only take time, for people to recognize that before we came along, the Americas, was actually a salubrious place to live in, full of life and landscapes, that are only imaginable today.