In the past two decades, a new breed of historians, anthropologists and archaeologist have uncovered a fuller, richer and surprising view of the entire American Indian experience. Jake Page, one of the Southwest's most distinguished writers and a long time student of Indian history, weaves these vast threads of information - including historical documents, archaeological artefacts and the Indians' oral legends - into a compelling narrative. Today, we know that the first Americans arrived here long before the once-accepted date of 11,500 years ago. We know that Indian life before Columbus featured massive upheavals, and that life after Columbus was affected more by disease and do-gooders than gunslingers. This is the true history of the Indians, from the long lost moundbuilding societies of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys, to the waves of confederation from King Phillip to Tecumseh, all the way to the astonishing coast-to-coast revival of the past few decades.