Aim: Where did early Americans originate from? Do Now: How does geography shape or impact our lifestyles? HW: Native Americans Worksheet

Ice Age Ice Age ended 12,000 years ago. Prehistoric people: hunters and gatherers.

Climate Change Water level in oceans were so low that they exposed land under the Bering and Chukchi Seas. Beringia Land Bridge: migration route from Asia to Americas. Connected Siberia and Alaska.

Early American Migration: Herds of animals migrated over land bridge. Groups of human nomads followed herds. Over thousands of years, early Americans migrated to all parts of the Americas.

Early Humans Early humans lived during time period known as prehistory. –Did not know how to write. Result: no written records. –Archeologists and historians have to rely on artifacts to learn about early humans. –Archeologist: scientist who searches for and studies artifacts in order to learn how early people lived.

First Americans Depend on hunting and gathering Could not farm. Tools/weapons made from stone, bone, and wood. Died in early 30’s.

Animals They Hunted Wooly Mammoth Bear Bison Deer Anything they could catch

Farming Around 7,000 BC, humans in Central America learned to farm. Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, Squash Allowed civilizations to emerge. –Olmecs, Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas.

Alternative to Bering Land Bridge Theory the-clovis-people#origins-of-the-clovis- peoplehttp:// the-clovis-people#origins-of-the-clovis- people

Summary Explain two theories about how early humans populated the Americas in 5-10 sentences.