Today's lesson addressed the civilizations that originally developed in the Americas, thousands of years before the arrival of European explorers. The sophistication of such cultures was emphasized. We then segued to the advent of European exploration, placing it within the historical context of nations competing with each other for wealth and aggrandizement: a system known as mercantilism, in which the world's material riches (gold, silver, gems, etc.) were mined and accumulated in what was regarded as a kind of zero-sum game. The pervasiveness of Spanish influence--often underemphasized in US History, which tends to dwell on the English--was duly noted, as well as the Spaniards' spread of diseases, including smallpox, that decimated native populations, Roman Catholic evangelism and conversions, and heavy-handed manner of central governance. Will actively participated in discussion, making several good points.