It was a common lie of the 21st century in Bruno's past life, that the wealth of Europe, and all of its grandeur had been built off of colonialism and the "exploitation" of native civilizations that could have turned out just as great if given enough time.
But Europe's greatest strength did not lie in its size, arable land, or massive natural resources. But in the scarcity that had forged men capable of enduring, conquering, innovating, and building a better world with limited resources.
By the time the European explorers arrived in the New World, they arrived with steel, shot, and command over sea and land. In sharp contrast, the natives who welcomed them were largely stuck in the Stone Age with few pockets of what could remotely be classified as civilization across two entire continents.
