Early AmericansEarly Americans12,00012,000BCE – BCE – 14921492CECE

Migration to AmericaMigration to America

• Last Ice Age - 10,000Last Ice Age - 10,000BCEBCE

• Crossed BeringiaCrossed Beringia

• Meadowcroft, PA - 1974Meadowcroft, PA - 1974• Found artifacts fire pits, Found artifacts fire pits,

bone & stone tools bone & stone tools

• 14,000 years old14,000 years old

• What does this mean?What does this mean?• ““people had been in people had been in

western PA some 4,000 western PA some 4,000 years before any human years before any human was supposed to have set was supposed to have set foot anywhere in this foot anywhere in this hemispherehemisphere””

Nomadic lifestyleNomadic lifestyle

• Nomads = people who Nomads = people who move from place to placemove from place to place

• Follow food sourcesFollow food sources• Tend to follow weatherTend to follow weather

• Traveled hundreds of Traveled hundreds of milesmiles

• Hunted large gameHunted large game• Mastodon/Mammoth Mastodon/Mammoth • Saber-toothed TigerSaber-toothed Tiger

• Eventually harder to findEventually harder to find• Overhunting/dying off Overhunting/dying off

due to climatedue to climate

Settling downSettling down

• With no large animals…With no large animals…now what?now what?• 9,000 years ago = 9,000 years ago =

AgricultureAgriculture

• Planted maize, Planted maize, pumpkins, beans, pumpkins, beans, squashsquash

• Time for other activitiesTime for other activities

• Permanent shelters Permanent shelters made of:made of:• ClayClay• StoneStone• WoodWood

Native AmericansNative Americans

• ““Mound BuildersMound Builders””• Many different Many different

tribes/clanstribes/clans

• Lived in Ohio River ValleyLived in Ohio River Valley

• Burial mounds in Burial mounds in different shapes:different shapes:• Birds, bears, snakesBirds, bears, snakes

• Largest Largest ‘‘moundmound’’ = 100ft = 100ft tall!tall!

Other Native AmericansOther Native Americans

NorthNorth

• InuitInuit

• Arctic Circle Arctic Circle • (Alaska, northern (Alaska, northern

Canada)Canada)

• Lived in igloosLived in igloos

• Hunted seals, whales, Hunted seals, whales, walruses, caribouwalruses, caribou

• Successfully lived in Successfully lived in extreme cold/weatherextreme cold/weather

WestWest

• Variety of groups:Variety of groups:• Tlingit, Haida, ChinookTlingit, Haida, Chinook

• West CoastWest Coast

• Lived in wooden homesLived in wooden homes

• Fished, hunted deer, Fished, hunted deer, birds, gatheringbirds, gathering

• Remained mostly Remained mostly permanentpermanent

Other native americansOther native americans

SouthwestSouthwest

• Many tribes:Many tribes:• Hopi, Anasazi, PuebloHopi, Anasazi, Pueblo

• Lived in an AdobeLived in an Adobe• Mud brick houses/cliff Mud brick houses/cliff

dwellingsdwellings

• Farmers/hunted small Farmers/hunted small gamegame

• Dry desert-like climateDry desert-like climate

Great PlainsGreat Plains

• Many tribes:Many tribes:• Comanche, Dakota, Comanche, Dakota,

BlackfootBlackfoot

• Lived in TepeesLived in Tepees• Semi-nomadic peopleSemi-nomadic people

• Men hunted/women Men hunted/women planted cropsplanted crops

• Temperate climateTemperate climate

Other Native americansOther Native americans

EastEast

• Many Algonquin groupsMany Algonquin groups• Cherokee, Iroquois, Cherokee, Iroquois,

Seneca, Oneida, MohawkSeneca, Oneida, Mohawk

• Lived in variety of homesLived in variety of homes

• Formed the Iroquois Formed the Iroquois LeagueLeague• Elders worked out issues Elders worked out issues

for tribesfor tribes

• Hunted/farmedHunted/farmed

• Has four seasonsHas four seasons

SoutheastSoutheast

• Many tribes:Many tribes:• Creek, Chickasaw, Creek, Chickasaw,

CherokeeCherokee

• Permanent variety of Permanent variety of houseshouses

• Lived peacefully for most Lived peacefully for most partpart

• Hunted/farmed year roundHunted/farmed year round

• Warm climate all year longWarm climate all year long