If the Polynesians had reached the Americas and their population had expanded significantly, how would history have changed?
There is some debate about whether Polynesians reached the Americas. While there is indirect evidence suggesting that Polynesians may have made contact with the Americas, it likely involved only small-scale interactions.
If the Polynesians had reached the Americas and their population had expanded significantly, how would history have changed?
Although Polynesians did not possess technology on par with Europe, they had technologies different from those of the Native Americans, which I believe could have brought changes to the Americas. Additionally, Polynesians carried domesticated animals and crops from the Old World, which might have significantly altered life in the Americas.
Finally, as people from the Old World, the Polynesians would also have introduced Old World diseases to the Native Americans. This could have mitigated the devastating impact of European diseases on the Native American population in the future.