Download Chapter 1: A Continent of Villages Prehistory – 1500

Chapter 1: A Continent of Villages Prehistory – 1500

Mr. Logan Greene AP United States History West Blocton High School

Chapter Objectives • List the evidence for the hypothesis that the Americas were settled by migrants from Asia • Review the principal regions of the North American continent and the human adaptations that made social life possible in each of them • Discuss the reasons why organized political activity began in farming societies • Know the factors that led to the Iroquois Confederacy • What was life like for Natives prior to European arrival?

Settling the Continent • Approximate population of 70 million in 1492, mostly in South America and present day Mexico • Extremely diverse populations across North America – Different language – Food – Societies • North and West: Hunter/Gatherers, mainly nomadic • Northeast: Primarily fished and gathered • South: Farmed, used mainly techniques and crops gathered from Mesoamerica (Mexico)

Settling the Continent • The 70 million strong native population of the Western Hemisphere were represented by approximately 2,000 differing cultures • There was not a single physical characteristic that united all the native peoples with a variety of skin colors and builds although most shared a common dark straight hair type and dark eyes • Once Europeans realized the Western Hemisphere was indeed a “New World” questions arose over the origins of the native peoples

Migration • As early as 1590 the idea of a land bridge being the origin of native peoples was proposed • Modern day genetic studies show high similarities between Asian and Native American peoples with movement most likely occurring approximately 30,000 years ago • This would match with the presence of a land bridge from Asia to Alaska known as Beringia

Migration • Beringia was dry and perfectly suited for mammoth and other large mammals • It is highly likely that the large mammals travelled over first and then nomadic Asian tribes followed their food source across the bridge into North America • Later when glaciers melted these groups travelled down a route close to the Rocky Mountains and then spread across the continent (although it is also possible they moved in boats along the Pacific coast)

Migration • Two further migrations – 5000 BC: Athapascan migrate and are the ancestors of the Navajos and Apaches – 3000 BC: Inuits migrate in boats across the Bering straight (Beringia had disappeared) and colonize Alaska and upper Canada

• It is believed these three total migrations brought the ancestors of all later Natives to the Americas

North American Technology • Early archaeological finds in North America are similar to Asian finds of the same periods • However, “Clovis” technology of sophisticated blades and arrowheads appeared approximately 10,000 years ago and spread throughout the continent quickly allowing the hunting of large game more efficiently

Ways of Life • About 15,000 years ago there was a giant global warming trend which ended the Ice Age • The giant mammals that dominated the Ice Age could no longer sustain themselves in the drastically warmer climate • As these animals became more scarce Natives in North America became more sophisticated at hunting and also focused more on the North America bison

Ways of Life • As the Ice Age ended the modern day southwest United States desert formed • The cultures who settled here founded sophisticated hunting and gathering strategies to survive in the brutal conditions • Their groups were normally small and survived on roots and small plant life in addition to trapping small the small desert animals

Ways of Life • East of the Mississippi America was one vast forest • Groups here were larger than in the desert • These native groups survived by hunting small to medium game and gathering the berries and nuts and other edible plant life that defined the area

Farming • The evolution of farming in North America began in the highlands of Mexico about 5,000 years ago and radically changed the ways of life for the native cultures • Even in this early stage of farming the Mexican societies had a vast array of crops including corn, squash, beans, and cocoa with corn being by far the most important • The Mexican’s new found skills spread quickly across the continent

Effects of Farming • Farming drastically changed the North American continent in several ways: 1. Tribes became less nomadic as they stayed in areas to cultivate crops 2. Tribes became larger and more separated into family clans as farming could support larger units 3. Societies grew as crops and jobs had to be managed throughout the year 4. Jobs became separated by gender as men hunted and defended and women farmed 5. Separation of groups grew and rivalries emerged over land and territory

Farming Revolution? • Historians formerly attached the idea of a “Revolution” to the change over to famring in North America • This can be misleading as the term revolution implies a quick change when archaeological evidence points to a change taking thousands of years that was originally resisted by many tribes but eventually accepted

The Anasazi “The Ancient Ones” • The Anasazi are an excellent example of farming extending out past the fertile areas of the continent • The Anasazi existed from around 1200 BC to around 1300 AD in the deserts of the southwest United States • Midway through their existence the tribe switched from hunter gathering to densley populated areas in cliff dwellings known as pueblos and sophisticated irrigation farming

Other Southwestern Tribes • Other tribes that existed and successfully flourished in the southwest were the Mogollon and Hohokam • The Mogollon were the first to develop a settled farming system in the area and utilized elaborate pit dwellings to help with water conservation and to adapt to the harsh climate • The Hohokam farmed and produced beautifully detailed pots and apparently had a flourishing trade network with the giant civilizations of mesoamerica

The Eastern Woodlands • The Eastern Woodlands natives created sophisticated farming cultures built on hunting • The Adena began the practice of farming in the area but quickly died out • Following the Adena the Hopewell appeared and began the practice of producing large elaborate burial mounds • As well, the Hopewell established large trade networks that existed as far as the Rocky Mountains

Mississippian Culture • As the Hopewell declined in the 5th century AD several new innovations (the bow and arrow, a new variety of corn, and flint hoes) led to the emergence of a new native powerhouse culture: The Mississippian • The Mississippians created settled urban centers such as Cahokia and Moundville, Alabama with huge mounds and complex farm areas • Just like the Anasazi they were complex societies with, societal structure, urban centers, and trade

Eve of Colonization • In 1492 on the eve of colonization the American continents had vast areas of populated Native American cultures • The best way to categorize it is through regional differences of the following areas: – Southwest – South – Northeast

Southwest • The Southwest was dominated by the arid conditions • However, the Ansazi and other Pueblo Indians had been cultivating their fields for centuries by the time of the European arrival while also still hunting and gathering • The groups lived in familial clans and had secret spiritual groups that along with elders governed the clan groups

The South • The South is the most suitable area for farming in the North American region • Groups here practiced settled farming and hunting gathering societies ruled by elder chiefs in the Mississippian fashion • As the Mississippians disappeared their descendants emerged as dominant groups: – Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, Powhatan,

The Northeast • The Northeast has a varied geography of lakes, rivers, mountains, and valleys coupled with a shorter mild summer and cold winters • Farmers, hunter gathers, and fishermen • One group dominated the area: The Iroquois Confederacy • The group was founded when several tribes continually fought over land • By the eve of colonization the Confederacy became one of the most powerful political entities in the world

Chapter Objectives Revisited

Chapter Objectives • List the evidence for the hypothesis that the Americas were settled by migrants from Asia – Genetic testing and archaeological evident (similarity of tools) • Review the principal regions of the North American continent and the human adaptations that made social life possible in each of them – Northeast: Fishing and farming – Southwest: Irrigation to farm – Southeast: Major farming and hunting • Discuss the reasons why organized political activity began in farming societies – More people in groups close to home, must protect and manage food resources • Know the factors that led to the Iroquois Confederacy – Serious violence led to the need to create a solid political force • What was life like for Natives prior to European arrival? – Many different cultures, relatively peaceful, advanced linguistic cultures