In Europe it was called the Age of Discovery. To the rest of the world,
it often meant slavery, epidemic disease, cultural genocide, and
wholesale social and economic changes. What happened in the period when
Europe first came in contact with the rest of the world? In this new
edition of Brian Fagan's Clash of Cultures, the best-selling author
offers a series of fascinating cases on the impact of cultural contact,
including cultures such as those of the Huron fur traders, South African
Khoi Khoi, Tahitians, Japanese, and Aztecs. Each case provides a
description of the pre-European culture, the short-term impacts of
European contact, and long-term changes caused by the clash of two
cultures. Fagan also explores the many advances in the general
literature on this period such as the "people without history," world
systems analysis, and the debate over Captain Cook. Ideal for courses in
cultural anthropology, world history, historical archaeology, ethnic
studies, or area studies, as well as for the general reader.