Ch. 3-The First Americans
How did people first come
to the Americas?
Name:
Date:
Period #:
Anthropologist
person who studies the origin,
distribution, physical features and culture
of humans
What was the accepted theory
of migration to America for
many years?
Land bridge from Siberia to Alaska,
12,000 years ago, people walked across
from Asia to America
What evidence challenges
that theory?
Kennewick Man
1996-skeleton found in Columbia River
Chatters examines and determines it must
be an 1800s pioneer
Evidence=
 Caucasoid features
 40-45 yrs. Old
 5’9” tall
MRI shows spearpoint (4-9,000 yrs.)in
hip
Bone dating shows KM is 9,500 yrs. old
Question: How could a Caucasoid man be
in WA 9,000 yrs. ago?
Debate Over KM
Who should keep KM?
Why do they want KM?
NAGPRA-1990, law that makes govt. give
remains back to tribes
WA tribes (Umatilla, Yakama) want to
rebury KM
Respect for ancestors, part of
beliefs
Scientists want to study KM
Provides evidence for migration
theories
New Migration Theory
Court battle won by scientists in 2005,
KM kept in Burke Museum in Seattle for
study
People arrived by boat in waves over
thousands of yrs. from many different
places
Summary:
What are 2 theories of how people came to America and why is the Kennewick Man
important to those theories?