1. Prehistoric Native American Cultures

2. What is PREHISTORY? History before there was written language
There was history before it was written down, but some societies just didn’t write
Native American societies were oral and have always been aware of their history, even without writing it down.

3. Three Phases of Prehistory in North Carolina
Paleo-Indian Period
Archaic Period
Woodland Times (includes the Mississippian Culture)

4. Bering Strait Theory
During the last Ice Age (25,000-35,000 years ago) people began populating North America, coming across the Bering Strait from Asia
Around 14,000 years ago, North America was fully populated by people
It is estimated that 100 million Native Americans lived in North America before the arrival of Europeans

5. How do we know about the people that lived before history was recorded?
They left items & the items they left are discovered today in archeological sites.

6. Various levels of social organization among prehistoric Native Americans
Bands/Clans (20-35 people)
Tribes (several bands)
Chiefdoms ( people)
States (thousands of people)

7. Paleo-Indian Period (14,000-12,000 Years Ago)
Family
People lived in bands (20-35 people), with 2 or 3 extended families
Natural leadership developed
The social structure was based on kinship and skills

8. Paleo-Indian Period Way of Life
Nomads who moved with the hunt (mostly ate meat and hunted big game)
The archeological sites left by these people are few with few deposits, probably because they were nomads
In North Carolina, at least one Paleo-Indian site has been found in every county

9. Paleo-Indian Period Technology
Only stone material is found from this period
They had some of the finest tools in prehistory
Projectile points are most of what is found (tips of spears, darts, lances, etc.)

10. Projectile Points & Arrow Heads
What are the differences?
Projectile points were created before arrow heads. Arrow heads were not invented until around 4000 years ago
projectile
point
arrow heads

11. Projectile Points and Arrowheads of North Carolina

12. The end of the Ice Age causes changes
Global warming occurs between 12,000 & 10,000 years ago (it took about 2000 years)
It causes forests to change, thus food sources change
Something else key happens….
Culture evolves

13. Archaic Period (10,000-4,000 years ago)
Family
Bands got larger, containing people
Tribes began to evolve consisting of closely related bands of people tied together by kinship

14. Archaic Period (10,000-4,000 years ago)
Way of Life
The archeological sites found from this period are larger
The people are semi-sedentary, not moving as much (they move with the seasons rather than the hunt)
They are still hunter-gatherers (nuts, berries, plant material)

15. Archaic Period Technology
People begin making tools, to make other tools.
They create more diverse and advanced tools such as:
Grinding stones
Dishes
Stone net sinkers
Fish hooks
Awls (engraving tool)
Drills
Scrapers
Atlatl (Spear thrower)