In the beginningIn the beginning

Archaeologists believe people first Archaeologists believe people first came to America 20,000 to 50,000came to America 20,000 to 50,000

Crossed the land bridge at the Crossed the land bridge at the Bearing SeaBearing Sea

First Americans had no written First Americans had no written recordsrecords

Archaeologists dig to find artifacts Archaeologists dig to find artifacts (tools, weapons, bones, etc..) to learn (tools, weapons, bones, etc..) to learn about ancient people about ancient people

South Western NativesSouth Western Natives

Pueblo Indians Pueblo Indians built large built large apartments along apartments along steep cliffssteep cliffs

Built irrigation Built irrigation canals to water canals to water crops (corns and crops (corns and beans)beans)

Religion was Religion was importantimportant

North West Natives North West Natives

Food was plentifulFood was plentiful Fish from the Fish from the

ocean, animals and ocean, animals and nuts and berries nuts and berries from the forestfrom the forest

Used wood in Used wood in many waysmany ways

Homes, totem Homes, totem poles, canoes, poles, canoes, clothesclothes

Great Plains NativeGreat Plains Native

Life was toughLife was tough Land was flat and Land was flat and

treelesstreeless Hunted buffalo to Hunted buffalo to

survivesurvive Nomadic lifeNomadic life

Mound BuildersMound Builders

Lived near Ohio and Lived near Ohio and Mississippi riversMississippi rivers

Built mounds Built mounds sometimes 50 ft highsometimes 50 ft high

Found pearls from Found pearls from Pacific suggest they Pacific suggest they were excellent were excellent traders traders

By 1500’s mound By 1500’s mound builders faded awaybuilders faded away

Iroquois NationIroquois Nation

Settled in the north Settled in the north eastern forestseastern forests

Hunter, Gatherers, Hunter, Gatherers, farmersfarmers

Corn, beans, and Corn, beans, and squashsquash

Lived in long housesLived in long houses Ideas of government Ideas of government

influence American influence American Government Government

A.D. 300 and 900A.D. 300 and 900 Built many citiesBuilt many cities Worshipped many Worshipped many

gods, Sun god was gods, Sun god was most importantmost important

Believe in human Believe in human sacrificessacrifices

About 900 left About 900 left cities and vanishedcities and vanished

AZTECAZTEC Create written Create written

languagelanguage Great buildersGreat builders 11 million in empire11 million in empire Worshipped many Worshipped many

godsgods Sun and War god Sun and War god

was the most was the most importantimportant

Sacrificed humans Sacrificed humans

AZTECAZTEC

Capital: TenochtitlánCapital: Tenochtitlán Built on island in Built on island in

lakelake Bridges connected Bridges connected

the island to the the island to the mainlandmainland

Tenochtitlán was Tenochtitlán was larger and cleaner larger and cleaner than any city in than any city in Europe at that timeEurope at that time

IncaInca Civilization Civilization Built empire in Built empire in

Andes mtns.Andes mtns. Built roads and Built roads and

bridges to connect bridges to connect citiescities

Grew food using Grew food using terracesterraces

Poor people were not Poor people were not allowed to go hungryallowed to go hungry

Built irrigation Built irrigation canals canals

On the Eve of On the Eve of 14921492

Millions of native Americans lived in Millions of native Americans lived in North and South AmericaNorth and South America

Spoke hundreds of languagesSpoke hundreds of languages All of that would change when the All of that would change when the

Europeans arrivedEuropeans arrived