1. 1 The First Americans Prehistory to 1492

2. Early People

3. Early Human Migrations
1st Migration, 38, BCE
2nd Migration, c. 10,000-4,000 BCE
3rd Migration, c. 8,000-3,000 BCE

4. CULTURE AREAS OF NATIVE AMERICANS

5. How did Natives Arrive?
Ice Bridge Over the Bearing Strait: Some Native Americans came from a land that later sank into the sea called Beringia during the last ice age\
Beringia now lies under the Bering Strait.

6. Possible Prehistoric Migration Through North America

7. Hunting for Food

8. Settling Down
Eventually the hunter-gatherers settled down to grown maize (corn)
This allowed for the development of specialized workers and villiages

9. The Growth of Cultures
With the free time from specialized workers culture began to develop
Religion, art, language, and social hierarchy are all part of culture

10. Central and South American Societies

11. Olmec First major civilization in Mexico and Guatemala
They had a large trade network between 1200 and 400 BCE
Famous for their large stone monuments, pavement, and drainage systems
Most likely declined due to climate change

12. Olmec

13. The Maya
One of the longest lasting and most powerful civilizations in the world lasting from 2000 BCE to 1697 CE
Famous for its monuments, calendar, understanding of astronomy, and Mathematics
Was a theocracy ruled by priests
By 900 CE had faded from power due to climate change

14. Chichen Itza

15. The Aztec The Aztec Empire was founded in 1372 as a military empire,
It was a powerful union of city-states that ruled the region for 200 years.
In the end it fell to Spanish invaders due to disease, and the Cortez’ ability to turn the union against itself.

16. The Inca
The Incan Empire was founded around 1200 CE and stretched 3000 miles down the Andes Mountains
The Inca were famous for their road system, tax system, and terrace farming
They will be conquered by the Spanish in the mid 1500’s

17. Machu Picchu

18. Incan Empire

19. North American People

20. Hohokam A major civilization in the southwest from 300 BCE to 1200 CE
Developed irrigation and adobe buildings
The civilization failed because of increasing desertification

21. The Anasazi
In the same area as the Hohokam, the Anasazi perfected pueblo building
Had the largest cliff dwellings in the world with thousands of inhabitants
Also declined due to drought and desertification

22. The Mound Builders
1000 BCE to 900 CE stretched from great lakes to Florida
They were a group of cultures that built large mounds shaped like animals for religious reasons
Very little is known other than they had a massive trade empire

24. Cahokia
The largest settlement of the Mississipian Mound Builders was built between A.D. 900 and A.D and had 30,000 or more residents.
The largest mound of 100 Feet High, when built, it was probably the highest structure north of Mexico.
No one knows why it was abandoned around 1300

25. Iroquois Nation
The Federation was a single government that linked the different groups
Iroquois League was made up of 5 tribes
Women could hold positions of power
League Council were 50 men that represented their tribes

26. Native American Cultures1
What does this map tell us?