How did our ancesters in hot areas do it---no air conditioning

As long as it's DRY, an evaporative cooler (aka, "swamp cooler") will work pretty well even at 100 degrees. Once it's humid...forget it.

 

Obviously you've never lived in an area where people use evaporative coolers. I've never had to live with 90F inside. 110F + 6% humidity = 80F.

 

I believe you. Evap coolers are not all the same and especially if one maintains them properly. Proper placement (out of the Sun), tree cover etc. can all be factors in increasing evap efficiency. I know there are super-efficient ones out now too. I have lived for 20+ years in an area that typically reaches over 100f during the summer and there is no substitute for refrigerated air at those temperatures.......if one can afford it.

 

I live in Arizona and walk into a furnace all the time. I feel you though on the deathly heat inside a home. Our A/C in our apartment is having problems, as in water is bubbling up in the paint in our walls and so we had to turn our A/C off for the evening. I thought I was gonna die. It gets like 110-120 F here too. I hate it. Electric fans and cold showers help, even just a cold/damp wash cloth to rub on your arms while the fan hits you, it's really refreshing.