Long before Christopher Columbus explored the coastlines of the Caribbean in the late 15th century, the Americas contained countless sprawling civilizations. Some of these, like the Mayans and the Aztecs, featured remarkably advanced cities rivaling even the largest and most advanced cities of Europe. For example, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, now known as Mexico City, featured complex road systems, floating gardens, magnificent public spaces, and ornate government buildings.

Tenochtitlan amazed the Spanish conquistadors who came across this great city and ultimately destroyed it in 1521, less than thirty years after Christopher Columbus' famous journey. It did not take long for the Spanish and other European explorers to practically wipe out the native populations of modern-day Mexico,

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