The PreColumbian World The Land Bridge Many scientists

The Pre-Columbian World

The Land Bridge Many scientists believe that in the last major ice age, a land bridge connected Asia and North America across what is now the Bering Sea. l It is believed that the ancestors to the Native Americans followed animal herds across the bridge 25, 000 years ago. l

l l l Some humans stayed north The and became the Aleuts, Eskimos, and Inuits. Others migrated into North, Central, and South America. Some became farmers, others stayed as hunters and gatherers. Other tribes built huge civilizations. Still have some traits with Asiatic people. Land Bridge

North American Tribes Most tribes live a hunter-gatherer type of existence. l Some tribes are nomadic while others may settle into villages. l Most of the tribes are animistic in religious beliefs. l Their lifestyles are based in large part to their environment l Most of the tribal histories are passed down orally. l Most tribes are led by a chief and a tribal council of elders. l

The Anasazi were an Indian people who lived in the American Southwest. l They lived in the mountainous areas and built their homes inside of cliffs. l Around 1200 AD, their settlements were abandoned for unknown reasons. l Pueblos were the homes made by the Anasazi. These homes were made of clay and stone bricks and built on mountain sides. l

The Six Nations l l l l The Iroquois were a confederation of five tribes in NY: Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, Mohawk, and Cayuga. A six tribe was later added; the Tuscarora. Their strength was in their political unity. Matrilineal society. Lived in villages protected by a palisade wall. Lived in longhouses. These independent tribes formed a confederacy and were a strong force in the Northeastern US up until the post-American Revolutionary War era. Invented lacrosse.

The Algonquin Peoples l l The main enemy of the Iroquois Nations were the Algonquin tribes. These tribes included the Algonquin, Mohegan, Lenape, Powhatan, and Wampanoag, Huron, Pequot, Chippewa, and Ojibwa. They controlled most of the Canadian side of the Great Lakes, New England, and some of the Ohio Valley. Traded with the French.

The Five Civilized Tribes Cherokee, Seminole, Creek, Choctaw, and Chickasaw l Lived in the Southeastern US south of the Ohio River, east of the Mississippi River, down to the Gulf Coast. l Lived in villages and farmed. l Hunted deer and fished for most of their food. l Will adapt to a lot of “White people’s ways. ” l

The Plains Tribes The tribes like the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Sioux, Crow, Shoshone, Shawnee, Pawnee, and others who lived on the plains of America and Canada. l They followed the buffalo herds on foot and hunted them. l Lived in teepees. l

The Southwest l l Other tribes settled in harsher climates. The Apache, Navajo, Hopi, and Ute settled in the desert regions of North America. They hunt animals in the deserts and lived near ample water supplies. Mostly, they live in villages in adobe houses.

Pueblos l l l Live in the Southwest US in adobe houses. Traditional economy is based on agriculture and trade. When first encountered by the Spanish in the 16 th century, they were living in villages that the Spanish called pueblos. Matrilineal society. Corn was a staple food for the Pueblo people. They would use pottery to hold their food and water.

Pacific Northwest Many tribes in the Northern Pacific coasts build totem poles. l Cultural poles set up by tribes in the American Northwest. l Totems referred to the clans of the tribes. l It also symbolized the character and behaviors of the tribe itself. l

Potlatch l l l A type of party held by many tribes in the Pacific Northwest. The host family would invite the whole town over to celebrate a birth, wedding, funeral, honor the dead, etc. At the conclusion of the party, the host family would give away all of their possessions.

Arctic Tribes l l Eskimos, Aleuts, and Inuits live in the northern parts of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. Live in igloos to protect from cold. Hunt polar bears, seals, and whales. Still live a fairly traditional lifestyle.

The Mound Builders Built huge mounds. l Found in Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys. l Lived from around 3000 BC to 1400 AD. l Structures built are either ceremonial structures or burial sites. l

American Building Technology All done with stone tools. l No use of the wheel. l No use of pulleys. l No use of the lever. l Everything they built is done by hand man power. l No beasts of burden. l

Mayans Civilization in Mexico and Guatemala. l They were city-state kingdoms between the years 200 BC to 900 AD. l The kingdoms were dynastic and sometimes carried on human sacrifice. l They also set up a pretty accurate calendar. Largest cities were Tikal and Chichen Itza. l They slowly fade away and their culture is just a remnant when the Spanish arrive in the 1500’s. l

Tikal

Chichen Itza

Palenque

l l l Mayans wrote using glyphs. Glyphs were symbols used to represent words. 800 symbols were used to record history or religious events. A codex was a book made of carved stone or bark-paper in which glyphs were written down. Only 3 books have been found so far. Mayans, and later Aztecs, had a game called ulama. Sort of like basketball. Mayan Culture

Aztecs l l l Last, and greatest, of the Mexican Valley tribes. The Aztecs arrived around the year 1200 as nomads. They increase their power through warfare and alliances with other tribes. They eventually form an empire centered around their capital Tenochtitlan. They are the strongest force in the Americas before the Spanish arrive. They will practice human sacrifice to honor the gods and so the sun will come up the next day.

l l Aztecs The Aztecs will create an empire of around 5 -15 million people. Tenochtitlan was the capital of the Aztecs and the largest city in the Valley of Mexico. By the time the Spanish came, the city had close to 500, 000 people…larger than any city in Europe. It was a planned city with huge pyramids, shops and markets, causeways to the mainland (it was built on an island in the middle of a lake).

Tenochtitlan

Incas A very advanced civilization in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. l They had built elaborate cities, practiced mummification, terraced farming, and had a centralized government. l Their culture lasts from 1438 to 1535 when the Spanish conquered them. l

Incas l l l Pacachuti was the first great king of the Incas. He conquered all of Peru and united many of the other neighboring tribes. By 1500, his empire spans 2, 500 miles. Very rich in the trading of gold and silver. Harvested lots of potatoes. Used quinine to cure malaria.

Incas To get food in the Andes, the Incas developed terrace farming. l Terrace farming is when you carve out and level a mountain and use it to grow crops. l Portions of the hill are also used to channel water for irrigating the crops. l Helped to grow a lot of food in the high altitudes. l

Incas l l Ayllu: Extended family group. It was an Incan social system that incorporated the community to work together. Tasks included terrace farming and irrigation. Basically, the whole community would work together on a single project for the betterment of all. Mita: A labor tribute in the Incan system. It required all able bodied citizens to work a certain amount of days for the empire. Instead of a large tax system, the Incas used the mita system for public works programs.

Macchu Picchu

The Vikings A seafaring warrior people from Scandinavia. l Seeking warmer climates and trading opportunities, they begin to leave in the mid 800 s. l They spread fear and terror throughout Europe with their raids. . . especially in France and England. l

The Vikings l l l Viking settlers, led by Eric the Red, were kicked out of Iceland discovered Greenland around the year 980. They will make a colony there. Leif Ericsson, the son of Eric the Red, will led a band of colonists moving to Newfoundland Vineland (Nova Scotia) near 1000. First known Europeans to America.

African Societies l l In West Africa, there were several great kingdoms. The kingdoms of Ghana (800 -1076), Mali (1235 -1400), and Songhai (13501591) were wealthy Islamic kingdoms in West Africa built on the trading of salt and gold. These empires controlled the Saharan trade routes. Tribes like the Yoruba, Hausa, and Benin fought each other after the decline of these major empires.

Changes in Europe Italian Renaissance brought forth an explosion of ideas through a questioning attitude. l Protestant Reformation begins and many question the authority of the Catholic Church. l Since the Crusades, the demand for goods from Asia rise. l

Events in the 1400 s will send three continents on a collision course that will dramatically change the course of history and affect the world to this very day.