American HistoryCHA-3U2

Early American History

The Clovis Model

Clovis Model• Explains the settlement of North America

during the last ice age.

• The term CLOVIS is connected to the discovery of spear points discovered in CLOVIS New Mexico in 1932

Clovis Model Explained

The BASICS:- 14,000 y.a. (or 12,000 BCE), Mongoloid

hunnters of central Asia, found a way to cross the Bering Strait between Asia and North America.

- This was the commonly known “Land Bridge” which was a 1500 km link between the two landmasses.

Clovis Model

BASICS continued:

- The LAND BRIDGE was the result of glaciers absorbing ocean water as glaciers expanded during this glacial period.

- The result was this…see the animation

Clovis Model

• The hunters followed a wide range of animals from mammoths to caribou…

• As they travelled into North America, a corridor began to emerge between the ice sheets, allowing the newcomers to spread southward into North America

The Clovis Model

Clovis Model

• In the next 1000 years, these early North Americans spread into Central and South America, eventually reaching the southern tip of South America.

Challenges to the Theory…

• Recent Discoveries have questioned the validity of this theory.

• These include:

- Spirit Caveman

- Luzia

- Kennewick Man

Clovis Model

• The recent discoveries bring into question two variables in the Clovis Model:

1. The fossils of recent archaeological discoveries are more “Caucausian” than Mongoloid (skull morphology especially)

2. The radio-carbon dates “predate” Clovis

New Theories

1. Pacific Crossing theory

2. Atlantic Crossing theory

3. Coastal Theory

Each have their merits and pitfalls but are quickly challenging the basics of the Clovis Model.

Examples of new discoveries

1. Kennewick Man

2. Spirit Caveman

3. Luzia

Other possible source locations?

• The Ainu of Japan…related to the earliest ancient species of Homo Sapiens who inhabited Asia 50,000+ years ago.

• Physical characteristics combine Mongoloid and Caucasian traits.

Skull Morphology

- Is the study of the physical variations of skulls throughout the animal kingdom.

- In anthropology (study of humans) studying skull morphology helps to understand the migration routes of early humans and our origins…

Modern Human (Homo Sapiens Sapiens)

Australopithecus Afarensis

(Lucy) 2 million y.a.