Homework: Review for Chapter 1 test

The Early Americans  Early Native American tribes were hunter/gatherers is small tribal bands. They spread throughout the Americas and developed distinct and diverse cultures  Most tribes considered members equal, but some did develop social ranks  Most tribes relied on a variety of food sources (hunter/gatherers, fishing, farming)  Most of the cultural and spiritual beliefs varied, however they shared similar characteristics.

The Land Bridge Theory The theory holds that a land bridge emerged linking Siberia and North America across what is now known as the Bering Sea. People were said to have walked across the "bridge" before the sea level rose and sealed it off; thus populating the Americas. The Land Bridge is said to have occurred between 33,000 B.C.E. to roughly 10,700 B.C.E.

Peopling the Americas Those groups that traveled to the Americas using two different routes. Around 13,000 B.C.E. the first bands traveled by water following the coast. As the glaciers began to melt, later migrants traveled by land following passes through the Rocky Mountains. Others, like the Eskimos, crossed the Bering Sea after the land bridge was submerged.

Cultural Beliefs of the Crossing Oral traditions of the tribes can conflict with scientific theories on how the Americas were peopled:  Pueblos/Navajos (traveled through other worlds and emerged from underground)  Iroquois (Falling from “sky world”)  Traditionalists use these accounts a proof of their ancestry originating in the Western Hemisphere, while others argue that the stories do not accurately show a place of origin and could reflect the scientific theory

Early Natives of North America Paleo-Indians:  Known as the earliest natives of the Americas  Lived in bands, consisting of several families, within a defined hunting territory  When encountering other bands, exchanging of ideas and goods, intermarriages, and religious ceremonies took place.  Practiced reciprocity, rather than trying to gain power and profit over other bands, which allowed the bands to develop a broad cultural life.

Early Native of North America (Cont.) Archaic Peoples:  After 8,000 B.C.E., the changing of the climate led to the changing of topography and the plant and animal species, thus human societies need to evolve.  Larger populations, used more sources of food.  Women and men’s roles expanded, but not all activities were gender specific.  Developed skills and tools for cultivation.  Most sophisticated groups developed in Mesoamerica, where maize was cultivated starting 2,500 B.C.E.

Cultivation to Civilization After 2,500 B.C.E., the cultivation of surplus crops, primarily maize, allowed the Archaic peoples to create more settled cultures. Religious and political systems followed and early confederacies and even states eventually developed. The development of these societies was limited and slow mainly due to topography and access to resources.

Central and South America Chiefdoms:  Olmecs of Mesoamerica  Chavín de Huántar of the Andes Mountains States:  Teotihuacán  Mayans  Aztecs (Mexica)  Incas

North American Southwest Being a arid region, access to water sources were few and development of irrigation systems was a necessity. With this, maize cultivation reached the region in 2,500 B.C.E., however, full time farming societies did not develop until 400 B.C.E. These cultures included:  Hohokam  Ancestral Pueblo

Eastern Woodlands Contained better conditions for cultivation than the Southwest, however, information and skills for the process was slow to receive. Many of the early societies based their food sources off of multiple outlets:  Poverty Point  Adena  Hopewell  Mississippian (Cohokia) – first full time farmers

Cultivation in Eastern Woodlands Eastern Indians  Eastern Indians grew corn, beans, and squash in three sister farming:  Corn grew in a stalk providing a trellis for beans, beans grew up the stalk, squash's broad leaves kept the sun off the ground and thus kept the moisture in the soil.  This group likely had the best (most diverse) diet of all North American Indians and is typified by the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw (South) and Iroquois (North).

Iroquois Confederacy The Iroquois in the northeastern woodlands, inspired by the legendary leader Hiawatha, created the closest North American counterpart to the great empires of Mexico and Peru. The Iroquois Confederation was a group of five tribes in New York state, who were matrilineal in authority, which meant possessions passed down through the female line. Each tribe kept their independence, but met occasionally to discuss matters of common interest, like war or defense. This was not the norm. Usually, Indians were scattered and separated, and thus weak to attack.

Nonfarming Societies Because of climate and topography, farming was less successful north and west of the Southwest. These tribes eventually found new outlets for food:  Northwest and California tribes  Great Basin and Plains tribes  Canadian tribes

Early Viking Expansion The first Europeans to come to America were the Norse (Vikings from Norway).  Around 1000 C.E., the Vikings landed in Newfoundland calling it Vinland  Lacking national support, these men left America with the only records of the discovery found in Viking sagas or songs and therefore did not get the credit.

Just Prior to European Discovery By 1500 C.E.:  75 million Native Americans lived in the Western Hemisphere; 7 to 10 million in North America.  Most settled tribes in North America were found in the eastern woodlands and became more scattered the farther West.  All tribal societies were based of of kinship, reciprocity, and communal ownership of resources.  Trade was important for receiving scarce materials and to exchange technologies and ideas.

 Kinship  Nuclear families  Extended families  Gender Roles  Religion  Polytheistic  Spiritual involvement  Tribal Cooperation  Customs  Reciprocity North American Tribal Similarities

Differing Viewpoints Native Americans had a very different view of things as compared to Europeans:  Native Americans felt no man owned the land. (Europeans liked private property)  Native Americans felt nature was mixed with many spirits. (Europeans were Christian and monotheistic)  Native Americans felt nature was sacred. (Europeans felt nature and land was given to man by God to be subdued and put to use).  Native Americans had little to no concept or interest in money. (Europeans society thrived on capitalism through money or gold.