The Crusades

The author notes the Crusades as a major turning point in European history and as a precursor to colonialism. During the Crusades, European soldiers and mercenaries attacked and plundered Muslim cities, which concentrated a vast amount of wealth within a small portion of Europe’s population. Culturally, such concentration of wealth led to the establishment of land as private property and to a societal emphasis on wealth as an ethic in itself. Colonial and imperialistic ventures are directed by these motives towards wealth.

Pre-colonial Americas

Prior to the arrival of European colonialists, the American continents were occupied by many Indigenous communities and nations. These societies were complex, advanced, and very active in cultivating the land for farming and other uses. Early European settlers attacked natives in order to steal their land and resources. The reduction in Native populations led to wilderness growth, which led later settlers...