U.S. History 10 Coach Styles Unit One: The New World Note Packet 1-2

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2 The native people north of Mexico—in the lands that would become the United States and Canada—did not develop empires as large or political systems as elaborate as those of the Olmec, Maya, Aztecs, or Inca. However, they did build complex civilizations of great variety. Unlike much of Central and South America, the North American environment varies greatly from region to region, and the people had to adapt their way of life to fit these environments. The result was the establishment of sometimes vastly different cultures and lifestyles in different regions of North America.

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2 The Mound Builders: From about 1000 B.C. to 1500, Native Americans of the eastern United States constructed earthworks that archaeologists classify as burial mounds, platform or temple mounds, and circular and geometric ceremonial earthworks.

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2 Moundville (AL) Cahokia (IL) Serpent Mound (OH) Oakville (AL)

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2 There were 3 primary mound- building cultures: 1.Woodland: Built in eastern North America from about 1000 B.C. to the beginning of the 1700s. Earliest mounds were simple, enclosing only a few burials. Later mounds often reached 80 ft. in height, took many years to construct, contained numerous burials, and even included log tombs.

Unit One: “The New World” NP Mississippian: Mounds of the Mississippian tradition reflect the development of larger-scale farming among Native Americans. Around 700 A.D. in the flood plains of the central and lower Mississippi River, various tribes built villages consisting of flat-topped rectangular mounds that served as the bases for temples and other important structures. The Cahokia Mounds of Illinois once contained as many as 50 platform mounds and supported a population of thousands.

Unit One: “The New World” NP Adena-Hopewell: Centered in the Ohio River Valley Left behind enormous earthworks and burial mounds—some shaped like great snakes, birds, or other animals. Evidence from the mounds suggests a complex social structure and specialized division of labor. The Hopewell Indians developed an elaborate trade network that spanned all of North America. Ohio Iowa

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2 The Plains Indians lived on the Great Plains of North America and are divided into 2 main (sometimes overlapping) classifications: 1.Fully nomadic—following the vast herds of buffalo These included the Blackfoot, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Crow, Kiowa, Lakota, Plains Apache, and Shoshone 2.Semi-sedentary—in addition to hunting buffalo, lived in villages and raised crops These included the Iowa, Nez Perce, Omaha, and Pawnee The Plains Indians lived in teepees because they were easily disassembled and allowed the nomadic life of following game. When Spanish horses were obtained, the Plains tribes rapidly integrated them into their daily lives.

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2 Range of Plains Indians Shoshone Tipi

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2 Another culturally unique group of Indians were found in the extreme northern part of North America: The Inuit (a.k.a. Eskimos): inhabited parts of Alaska, the Northwest Territories, Quebec, Newfoundland, Siberia, and Greenland. In this mostly icebound region, the Inuit hunted walruses, seals, and whales for food, clothing, weapons, tools and oil (for lighting and cooking) Further inland, others hunted caribou and polar bear for meat and materials. Resided in igloos and shelters made of whalebone and hides.

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2

Although the earliest Native Americans were a very diverse people, with all groups there were… Three key elements of the lives of ancient Native American Indians: 1.Food: Corn and wild game/fish were staples of the Indian diet 2.Dwellings: Arctic—Igloos; Southwest/Mexico— Pueblos; Southeast—Bluff shelters or wattle and daub (pole frame intertwined with branches and covered with mud); Plains—Tipi 3.Religion: The center of life for Native Americans

Unit One: “The New World” NP 1-2 Prior to the 15 th century, Europeans were almost entirely unaware of the existence of the Americas. Estimates suggest that prior to European contact, the area encompassed by the United States was populated by over 11 million people. Although these cultures were very diverse, they became very interdependent on each other. Native Americans carried on barter (trade) inside and outside of their own groups and tribes. Indians utilized natural trade routes such as the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes, as well as a network of trade routes across North America. These trade routes often led to centers where Indians held trade gatherings and information exchanges during the summer.