First Inhabitants and Native American Groups

Mexico and Central America Between A.D. 250 and A.D 900 Mayas Mexico and Central America Between A.D. 250 and A.D 900

Mayas Lived in cities with pyramids , temples, ball courts, and palaces Developed art, a system of government and a written language They observed the stars and studied their patterns Carved stories of the past and gods on stone walls

Mexico and Central America Around the 1400’s Aztecs Mexico and Central America Around the 1400’s

Aztecs Built Tenochtitlan (tay noch tee Tlahn) which will become Mexico City City was built near large lakes and had stone roadways Farming took place on floating Island within the city It had more than 200,000 residents Religion was big and human sacrifice was not uncommon among Aztecs They conquered other tribes and forced them to pay high taxes

South America Around the 1400’s Incas South America Around the 1400’s

Incas Had the largest empire in the world Empire stretched from Andes Mountain range to Amazon rain forest Had great engineers and buildings Had running water Had fine weavings and metalworking.

Lived from Maine down the Atlantic Coast to North Carolina Algonquin Tribe Lived from Maine down the Atlantic Coast to North Carolina Lived in the 1500’s

Algonquin Tribe They had small sub-groups which included Chowanoc Pasquotank Waccamaw Depended on fish from the sea and sounds Food included many fruits , melons, walnuts, cucumbers, gourds, peas, corn Seen in the water color paintings of John White

Lived in the Coastal Plains near the Neuse and Tar rivers The Tuscarora Lived in the Coastal Plains near the Neuse and Tar rivers Lived in the 1500’s

The Tuscarora Know as “Hemp gatherers” which was used to make rope Had Flat bodies and would often tie babies down to boards to flatten back of head. Seen as a sign of beauty Also resulted in perfectly shaped arms and legs

The Cherokee Originated in the Ohio River Valley Came and settled the mountain regions Branched out to control Western North Carolina Eastern Tennessee North Alabama Georgia Western Virginia

The Cherokee The largest and most famous of the North Carolina Indian tribes. Their numbers once had reached a total of 30,000 They had three divisions: Upper Cherokee Middle Cherokee ( the most powerful) Lower Cherokee Disputes were settled through discussions All spoke different dialect Good at basket weaving and pottery

The Catawba Lived in rolling hills of the Piedmont First major settlement was near present day Charlotte Lived in the 1500’s

The Catawba Also known as the Waxhaw and Saxapahaw Tribes include the Sapona Occaneechi Know to be great miners Thought to be distant cousins of the Sioux Indians of the west.