Agriculture Before Globalization
Many foods considered ordinary today began as Indigenous American innovations. Early farmers cultivated and bred wild plants, transforming them over generations into dependable crops. Maize was developed from teosinte, while potatoes, cassava, tomatoes, tomatillos, pumpkins, squash, beans, chili peppers, quinoa, amaranth, cocoa, vanilla, peanuts, avocados, and many fruits were also grown in the Americas.
More than two-thirds of all food-crop types cultivated worldwide are native to the Americas.
Different Landscapes, Different Strategies
Agriculture did not replace every other way of life. In sheltered and temperate regions, farming supported permanent settlements and major population growth. Elsewhere, people continued hunting and gathering, combining cultivation with seasonal movement.
Indigenous peoples also deliberately changed landscapes. In North America, controlled burning cleared forest understories and encouraged useful herbs and berry-producing plants, helping create pre-Columbian savannas.
Animals and Adaptation
Domesticated animals included turkeys in Mesoamerica and parts of North America, valued for meat and feathers. In the Andes, llamas and alpacas supplied meat, wool, and transport. Guinea pigs were raised for food, while hairless dogs were used in Mesoamerica. Wild animals remained important sources of meat across many regions.
A Global Legacy
By the 15th century, maize had spread from Mexico to the Mississippi embayment, the East Coast, and southern Canada. Potatoes supported Andean societies, while cocoa was used by the Aztecs.
These crops later crossed oceans and transformed diets worldwide. Every tortilla, potato dish, tomato sauce, chocolate bar, and chili-based meal carries part of an Indigenous agricultural legacy.