Early Americans 12,000 BCE – 1492 CE

Migration to America Last Ice Age - 10,000 BCELast Ice Age - 10,000 BCE Crossed BeringiaCrossed Beringia Meadowcroft, PA Meadowcroft, PA Found artifacts fire pits, bone & stone toolsFound artifacts fire pits, bone & stone tools 14,000 years old14,000 years old What does this mean?What does this mean? “people had been in western PA some 4,000 years before any human was supposed to have set foot anywhere in this hemisphere”“people had been in western PA some 4,000 years before any human was supposed to have set foot anywhere in this hemisphere”

Nomadic lifestyle Nomads = people who move from place to placeNomads = people who move from place to place Follow food sourcesFollow food sources Tend to follow weatherTend to follow weather Traveled hundreds of milesTraveled hundreds of miles Hunted large gameHunted large game Mastodon/MammothMastodon/Mammoth Saber-toothed TigerSaber-toothed Tiger Eventually harder to findEventually harder to find Overhunting/dying off due to climateOverhunting/dying off due to climate

Settling down With no large animals…now what?With no large animals…now what? 9,000 years ago = Agriculture9,000 years ago = Agriculture Planted maize, pumpkins, beans, squashPlanted maize, pumpkins, beans, squash Time for other activitiesTime for other activities Permanent shelters made of:Permanent shelters made of: ClayClay StoneStone WoodWood

Native Americans “Mound Builders”“Mound Builders” Many different tribes/clansMany different tribes/clans Lived in Ohio River ValleyLived in Ohio River Valley Burial mounds in different shapes:Burial mounds in different shapes: Birds, bears, snakesBirds, bears, snakes Largest ‘mound’ = 100ft tall!Largest ‘mound’ = 100ft tall!

Other Native Americans North InuitInuit Arctic CircleArctic Circle (Alaska, northern Canada)(Alaska, northern Canada) Lived in igloosLived in igloos Hunted seals, whales, walruses, caribouHunted seals, whales, walruses, caribou Successfully lived in extreme cold/weatherSuccessfully lived in extreme cold/weather West Variety of groups:Variety of groups: Tlingit, Haida, ChinookTlingit, Haida, Chinook West CoastWest Coast Lived in wooden homesLived in wooden homes Fished, hunted deer, birds, gatheringFished, hunted deer, birds, gathering Remained mostly permanentRemained mostly permanent

Other native americans Southwest Many tribes:Many tribes: Hopi, Anasazi, PuebloHopi, Anasazi, Pueblo Lived in an AdobeLived in an Adobe Mud brick houses/cliff dwellingsMud brick houses/cliff dwellings Farmers/hunted small gameFarmers/hunted small game Dry desert-like climateDry desert-like climate Great Plains Many tribes:Many tribes: Comanche, Dakota, BlackfootComanche, Dakota, Blackfoot Lived in TepeesLived in Tepees Semi-nomadic peopleSemi-nomadic people Men hunted/women planted cropsMen hunted/women planted crops Temperate climateTemperate climate

Other Native americans East Many Algonquin groupsMany Algonquin groups Cherokee, Iroquois, Seneca, Oneida, MohawkCherokee, Iroquois, Seneca, Oneida, Mohawk Lived in variety of homesLived in variety of homes Formed the Iroquois LeagueFormed the Iroquois League Elders worked out issues for tribesElders worked out issues for tribes Hunted/farmedHunted/farmed Has four seasonsHas four seasons Southeast Many tribes:Many tribes: Creek, Chickasaw, CherokeeCreek, Chickasaw, Cherokee Permanent variety of housesPermanent variety of houses Lived peacefully for most partLived peacefully for most part Hunted/farmed year roundHunted/farmed year round Warm climate all year longWarm climate all year long