Native Americans

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About 3,500 years ago in central Mexico, Native Americans developed agriculture. The expanded food supply led to population growth and permanent villages. In Mexico, some villages grew into great cities ruled by powerful chiefs.

In Mexico, the Mayas and the Aztecs built advanced civilizations. From Mexico, agriculture slowly spread northward into North America. However, in some places, people continued hunting, gathering, and fishing.

Diverse cultures emerged in what would later become the United States Diverse cultures emerged in what would later become the United States. In different regions, Indian tribes: had different kinds of homes and clothes. ate different foods. developed different traditions. spoke hundreds of different languages.

The arid Southwest climate forced Native Americans to build dams and irrigation canals in order to grow crops. Some Native Americans in this region lived in adobe houses in farming villages, while others lived in pueblos and cliff dwellings.

The Mississippi River Valley Climate The region had a humid and temperate climate and generally fertile soil. Cultural Features The Native Americans in this region were influenced by the great cultures of Mexico. They built towns with central plazas, pyramids, and temples. They traveled by river to trade with other groups.

Due to the mild winters, warm summers, and ample rainfall of the Southeast, most Native Americans in this region were farmers. But they also hunted in the forests and fished in the rivers and lakes of the region.

Northeastern people developed into two major language groups: the Algonquians and the Iroquoians. The Algonquians lived in wigwams on the Atlantic seaboard, while the Iroquois lived in longhouses around Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Five Iroquois peoples united to form the Iroquois League, which promoted peace among the member nations.

The Great Plains Climate The region was an immense, windy, arid grassland that is hotter in the south and colder in the north. Cultural Features Native Americans in this region lived in thatched houses, log lodges, or tepees. They farmed in small villages and hunted the plentiful bison. They traded and fought with western nomads.

Native American Cultures, ca. 1500

Despite their cultural diversity, most Native American groups shared several cultural features: decentralized political power. spiritual beliefs and shamanism. little private ownership of property. equality among the various tribes and nations. division of labor along gender lines.