Roots of the American People
Section 1: Earliest People
1st Americans
• Who were they?
– Asians
• Where did they come from?
• How did they reach the Americas?
• 2 Theories
– Land bridge
• Bering Strait bridge (Siberia—Alaska)
– Coastal-Route
LANDBRIDGE
COASTAL ROUTE THEORY
Who were these people? Why did they
come to the Americas?
• Hunters
– Followed large animals (wooly mammoth)
– Supplied all needs from animals
• What happened when the large animals began
to die out?
– Environment Adaptation
• Gatherers
– Traveled across lands
– Searched for wild plants/small animals
Neolithic Revolution
• Environment adaptation does not stop
– Neolithic Revolution occurs
• Technique of farming is developed
– How does that affect society?
Affect of Farming on Society
FARMING
STOP
TRAVELLING
ESTABLISH
COMMUNITIES
GROW
SURPLUS
CIVILIZATIONS
DEVELOPED
3 Early/Major Civilizations
of Ancient America
• 1. Mayas
– Where?
• Mexico and Central America
– When?
• A.D. 250—A.D. 900
– What did the civilization look like?
• Pyramids, plazas, temples, ball courts, palaces
– What advancements did they make?
• Arts, government, written language, astronomy
– What happened to them?
• No one truly knows
• Cities abandoned
3 Early/Major Civilizations of Ancient
America
• 2. Aztecs
– Where?
• Mexico
• Capital city Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) built on a lake
– What did the civilization look like?
• Very religious—many temples built for Aztec Gods
• Human Sacrifice
•
Conquered/controlled large parts of Mexico
•
Obtained wealth from their conquered
subjects
3 Early/Major Civilizations
of Ancient America
• 3. Incas
– Where?
• South America—Andes Mountains
• Capital City Cuzco: linked to other cities by network of
roads
– What was the civilization like?
•
•
•
•
Buildings made of immaculate carved stone
Intelligent engineers
Skilled in metalwork/weavings
Vast amount of gold and silver
Section 2: Cultures of North America
Early peoples of North America
• Civilizations in North America
– Mound Builders
• Where?
– Lived in the vast region from Appalachian Mts. and Mississippi
Valley
– Multitude of different tribes
• Purpose of Mounds
– Burial grounds or public buildings
• Who were these people?
– Largest group: Mississippians
http://youtu.be/vTrVZr-DLHQ
Early peoples of North America
• Anasazi
– Where?
• Southern Utah, Colorado, Northern Arizona, New
Mexico
– What was civilization like?
• Large cliff dwellings
• Made pottery, jewelry, baskets
• Heavy traders
– What happened to them?
• Homes were eventually abandoned
Early peoples of North America
• Hohokam
– Where?
• Arizona
– When?
• Reigned from B.C. 300—A.D. 1450
– What was the civilization like?
• Skilled farmers, mastered irrigation
• Heavy traders
Living as a Native in North America
• Lived in areas called culture areas
– Populations grew larger in farming areas
• Basic needs
– Women were collectors
– Men were hunters
• Tools
– Developed from sticks, animal bones, rocks, and shells
• Beliefs
– Focused on a relationship with nature
– Established own creation stories
Culture Areas of North America
• Far North
– 2 Regions:
• Arctic:
– cold, ice covered ground all year
– No cities
– Hunted whale, seal, walruses in winter, caribou in summer
• Subarctic
– Dense forests
– Too cold for farming
– Hunted to survive
Culture Areas of North America
• Northwest
– Alaska down into northern California
– Land filled with plentiful amount of food
– Large cities developed despite no farming
Culture Areas of North America
• Far West: Consists of 3 regions
– 1. California
– 2. Great Basin
– 3. Plateau
• Northern region
– Harsh winters, forest and grassland
• Southern region
– Desert like lifestyle
• California region
– Warm summers, mild winters, abundant food
• Housing
– Pit houses
– Coned bark
– Wooden plank
Culture Areas of North America
• Southwest
– Arizona, New Mexico,
southern Utah, and Colorado
– Mostly dry: few rainy seasons
– Farming took place with
irrigation, some
hunting/gathering
– Pueblos were successful
homes
Culture Areas of North America
• Great Plains
– Large region located between Mississippi River
and Rocky Mts.
• Eastern part
– farmers, women were the planters
– Earth homes
• Western part
– No farming, treeless region
– Tepees, pits
– Hunted buffalo
Culture Areas of North America
• Eastern Woodlands
– Northeastern part of North America
– Full dense forests
– 2 large groups
• Algonquian—Southern Canada, Great Lakes, Atlantic
coast
• Iroquois—New York
– Women were important, owned all property, chose leaders
– Formed a Union to keep peace. LEAGUE OF IROQUOIS
Culture Areas of North America
• Southeast
– Mild climate with hot summers
– Idealistic for farming
– Large native tribes
• Cherokee, Creek, Natchez
– Mud plastered homes