How many American cultures had developed in 1492?

• A. Thousands
• B. Hundreds
• C. Dozens
• D. One

Answer: (B)

Before 1492, the American continents were home to a wide array of distinct cultures, spanning many regions and environments. Across North, Central, and South America there were hundreds of separate cultural groups and civilizations, each with its own languages, social structures, and traditions. In Mesoamerica and the Andean region alone you had major civilizations like the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, plus countless smaller communities, while in what is now the United States and Canada there were many diverse tribes and cultural traditions—from Pueblo peoples to mound-building societies and countless other regional groups. Because of this immense variety, the pre-Columbian Americas are best described as consisting of hundreds of cultures rather than a single culture or just a few.