Amber G. answered 04/24/19
Creative Librarian Specializing in Writing and Homework Help
Hi there!
The "They" in question from Hawking's article are in fact the "original inhabitants." It is fairly ambiguous, but the answer is found in the context and structure of the paragraph. As modern historical knowledge of the indigenous colonization of the Americas suggests, the indigenous nations were fairly decimated by the introduction of Columbus and European invaders, to a point where even today their cultures and peoples are struggling to thrive.