Pre Contact Americas The “United States” before Europeans
Thesis For thousands of years, migrating peoples have settled the Americas, where their descendants developed complex societies.
Pre-Contact Americas Terms Beringia: ice bridge/land bridge? Nomadic: mobile societies Mound-builders: culture groups known for mound construction – included Adenas, Hopewells, etc. Cahokia: major city center of mound builders Hohokams and Anasazis: SW native peoples
The 4 D’s Diverse Dynamic Developed Dense
image from diorama at Smithsonian and posted at neatorama.com
image from associations.missouristate.edu
Mound sites
Mound builders
Adena and Hopewell artifacts Ohiohistory.org Ohiohistorycentral.org
Hopwell Pottery images from ohiohistory.org and the National Park Service
Cahokia, pre-contact image National Park Service
Cahokia
image from National Park Service
image from antiquehelper.com (auction site) Mississippian Effigy pot
Mississippian pipe image from ohiohistory.org
Hohokam sites
Hohokam Dancers image from scottreamusic.com
Anasazi petroglyph
Mesa Verde images from the National Park Service
Household patterns PatrilocalMatrilocal AmbilocalAvunculocal Neolocal
Household = microcosm for behavior Household Distant kinsman community Distant kinsman community
Achievements of early cultures development of: agriculture = larger cities, complex societies Writing = historical record Architecture = large cities, eg. Tenochtitlán
For thousands of years, migrating peoples have settled the Americas, where their descendants developed complex societies. The varied landscapes of North America encouraged the diversity of Native American cultures. Agriculture led to complex societies. Many modern Native American groups maintain ancient customs of their respective cultures. Europeans encountered a rich, varied set of cultures throughout N. America MAIN IDEAS WHY IT MATTERS Review:
Eastern Woodlands Longhouses
Interaction patterns Exploration Gathering – fish, timber, salt, etc. Barter/Plunder – trade with natives
D.W. Meinig, T he Shaping of America
Interaction patterns Outpost – build commercial exchange Imposition – permanent residents Plantation – European culture, law, etc.
Abenaki Clothes 1700 and up Deerfield Raid Page Abenaki interior New England culture VT Folk life center Malian's Song
D.W. Meinig, T he Shaping of America
Natives