Chapter 1 Three Worlds Meet
Section 1 the first Americans:
Paleo- Indians: “ancient Indians” their ancestors migrated from
Asia. Over thousands of years, they spread throughout the
North and South America.
- The arrival of humans in the Americas occurred after the
ice age, glaciers transformed huge areas of the earth’s
surface. So much water turned into ice that it exposed a
bridge of land that linked Asia to North America. This land
bridge is called Beringia.
- Nomads: people with no permanent home, who move in
search of food. These people hunted animals, birds and
gathered nuts, berries and plants.
Tools of the Paleo-Indians:
Stone knives
Hammers
Scrapers
Bone needles
Stone points: first discovered by George McJunkin in 1926
-10,000 years ago the land bridge disappeared when the earth
began to melt. Climate also caused the ice age animals to die
off. Plants and fish replaced meat as the center of human diet.
-Agriculture was a major turning point in history.
Section 2: Early civilization:
As cities became centers of government, some people became
officials/ priests. Others studied science and developed a
system of writing.
Civilization: society which a high level of art, technology and
government exists.
Olmecs: created the earliest great civilization in Mesoamerica.
It flourished between 1200 B.C and 600 B.C. it is known as the
“mother culture”
They had a highly organized society that was ruled by priests.
Science: the Olmec people invented a calendar based on their
study of the movement of the earth in relation to the sun,
moon and planets.
Teotihuacan:
Largest and most influential city center was known as
Teotihuacan located on the valley of Mexico.
6th largest city in the world, it was also the most powerful and
dominated its neighbors through trade and warfare.
Fire destroyed Teotihuacan.
The Mayas:
Flourished from 300- 900 A.D.
-Created the most advanced early civilization in the Americas.
-Built religious centers such as the Palenque, Uxmal, Tikal and
Copan.
-Excelled at math and astronomy. They understood the concept
of zero and had a symbol for it.
-Their calendar was the most accurate and they developed a
written language.
The Aztecs:
Capital is Tenochtitlan.
-Their strong army and well organized government allowed
them to extend their power.
-Aztecs collected tribute in the form of gold, Cotton, turquoise,
feathers, incense, food and humans. (sun god was fed through
human hearts and blood)
-Successful in agriculture and trade.
The Incas:
Beginning in the early 1400’s, they dominated the Pacific Coast
and South America.
Capital: Cuzco ( high Andes Mountains)
Built a road system stretching 2, 500 miles.
Runners: memorized messages and carried them from place to
place.
Quipu: tied strings with knots of different colors. Each
represented information and financial accounts.
Made great advances in agriculture and medicine.
Section 3:
Mogollon’s: “mountain people” in 100 B.C the Mogollon’s
were growing corn and beans by building dams and terraces.
They crafted many kinds of objects for religious and personal
use such as pipes, masks and stone and shell beads. They
were known for their pottery.
Hohokam: lived in Sonoran Desert, they are well known for
their irrigation system. They traded with people in
Mesoamerica. No one knows how the Hohokam’s
disappeared.
Anasazis: they found ways to grow corn , squash and beans in
their dry environment. They built large apartment like
communities using stone, wood and sun dried mud called
adobe. They built their villages in canyon walls for protection
from their enemies.
Adenas: hunters, found in their burial grounds were goods
showing some in the community held higher rank than others.
Hopewells: 300 B.C, their architecture is more elaborate and
refined. They had a larger population and depended on
farming. Over time the Hopewell culture spread.
Mississippians: grew corn, squash and pumpkins in the rich
soil. They also fished, gathered plants and hunted. Their way
of life supported a large population.
-They also built mounds, however temples and religious
leaders houses were on top. In the city center of Cahokia, 100
temples and burial mounds were arranged.
Section 4:
North American Indians spoke nearly 550 languages, even
tribes living near one another had to use sign language in
order to communicate.
Differences of Indian tribes:
Religion
Language
Homes: wood houses while other lived in houses made of
animal skin.
Boats: some had wooden boats while others built boats out of
bark or animal skin.
Tattoo: some tattooed their faces
Weavers: some groups men did the weaving while in other
groups woman did the weaving.
Warriors: some groups honored warriors while others did not
like violence.
Arctic people: lived in small family groups, nomads.