Early Americans
Beringia land bridge: possible migration route
Glaciers
Thick
sheets
of ice
Bering Strait
Bering evolution
Native Americans
Descendents of the first people to reach
America
Artifacts- tools, baskets, weapons- objects
made by people
Archaeology- (2)study of evidence left by
early people
Study artifacts, technology, and carbon
dating
Culture- way of life that people develop
(homes, arts, gov) pass from generation to
generation
Great Serpent Mound in Ohio
Cahokia Mounds
State Historic Site,
Illinois
Pueblo Bonito in New Mexico
Pueblo Indians
Hohokams
(3) Farming society, S. Arizona
Dug large irrigation systems- bring water to dry land
Anasazi
Also farming- irrigation
Adobe- walls of stone and sun dried brick
Pueblos- villages- hundreds of families
Cliff Dwellings- protect from warlike neighbors
Built along cliffs- toeholds to climb
On top crops
Abandoned- drought- long dry spell
Anasazi cliff dwellers
Cliff dwellers
People of North America
Culture area- region where people
share same way of life
Tribe- group of villages, share
common customs, rituals, language
10 major culture areas- Arctic,
Subarctic, Great Basin, Plateau,
California, Great Plains, Southeast,
Eastern Woodlands, Northwest
Coast, Middle America
Eskimo (Inuit- people of the Arctic)
Igloo- houses of snow & ice- seal oil heat
Subarctic- moved due to limited
resources- fur traders
Northwest Coast- dentalia shells=
money
Permanent villages- potlatch big
dinner demonstrate how much you
have = power gave everyone
presents
Great Basin- dry climate, little watermoved a lot
Plateau- fresh rivers
California- many dif climates
resources
Southwest
pueblos- Spanish name for people of the SWmade up of sev groups- descendents of Anasazi-- kiva- underground religious chamber
Kachinas- masked spirit dancers (see back
board) rain dance- fam line traced through momswomen politically strong
Apaches & Navajo- sometimes raided pueblos for
food
Navajos- Hogans- homes made of mud plaster
over wooden poles
Apaches- moved around following herds
Great Plains
homes- sod & thickly matted grass
Travois- sled pulled by dogs to carry
their goods
Village ruling class by best hunters
1700’s change- caught and tamed wild
horses (brought from Spain 200 years ago)
Less farming more hunting- could travel
far- built tepees- cone shaped tents made
of buffalo hides
Southeast
home to more NA than any other region
Men & women different roles- religious
ceremonies linked to farming
Natchez- 13 month calendar named for
food or animal grown or hunted
Religious beliefs- worshipped sun- leader
“The Great Sun” worshipped as a godfamily=Little Suns >nobles>honored
people>Stinkards (majority)
Marriage- helped change class Nobles had
to marry Stinkards (why?)
People of the Eastern Woodland
Iroquois (NY most powerful)
Built long houses- wood poles with bark 150 ft long x 20 ft
wide
Women- owned all household property (like Pueblos) marry
live w/ wife family- chose clan leaders=political power
Clan- group of 2 or more related families
Iroquois- 5 nations= Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Cayuga,
Onandaga
Hiawatha- formed league to end fighting
League of the Iroquois- governing alliance
Sachem- chose tribal leaders- met once year vote discuss
issues
All nations must agree to do anything
Strong defensive alliance against enemies
Iroquois
longhouse
Iroquois people
Native Americans
Comprehension
1.Native American Cultures adapted to
their environment:
Great Plains- tepees & travois- winter
travel after buffalo, summer fish or plant
near water- horses
Navajo & Apache- hogans- hunters or
raid Pueblos
2. Farming
Hunting
Stay in one place
nomadwander
after food
3. Pueblo, Long House
Tepee
Critical Thinking
Religion major role- worshiped
according to harvest, hunting, etc
Ex. Natchez calendar, Kiva- rain
dance for harvest
Iroquois League compared to today
United Nations
US Government
Founding fathers looked to Iroquois
for advice while creating new nation