Topic 1 2 Native American Societies Before European

Topic 1. 2 Native American Societies Before European Contact Pre-1491

Learning Objective: Explain how and why various native populations in the period before European contact interacted with the natural environment in North America. Objectives

Thematic Focus: Geographic and environmental factors, including competition over and debates about natural resources, shape the development of America and foster regional diversity. The development of America impacts the environment and reshapes geography, which leads to debates about environmental and geographic issues.

American Indians Native Americans were overwhelmed by European diseases and weaponry We think of the colonists as the “winners” and the Indians as the “losers, ” but how did the Native Americans get where they were?

American Indians America’s first inhabitants lived as nomads, following their prey Bering Strait Became sedentary over time

American Indians Central and South America Maya (Yucatan) Aztec (Mexico) Inca (Peru)

American Indians Language North America Southwest Great Plains Northeast Northwest

American Indians Like every other society in the world at the time, Pre-Columbian America was characterized by inter-tribal warfare resulting in the displacement, migration, and enslavement of numerous tribes