Pre Columbian America

What is the theory for the origins of Native Americans.

They crossed the Bering Strait in search for food

Mayans

Great Ceremonial buildings
Raised Corn/Maize as primary crop

Observatories, calendars, writing systems, math concept of zero

Aztecs

A Warlike empire with massive pyramids and resided in central Mexico

Olemecs

Lived in central Mexico

Flourish from as early as 1500 BCE to 400 BCE

first mesoamerican civilization

Practied ritual bloodletting and played the mesoamerian ball game

known for artwork named colossal head

not known for their extinction

Incas

Terraced farming

Largest and richest out of American empires

Eastern Woodlands

Hunters and Gathers

Mississippian culture - long distance trade and major center of population

practiced slash and burn

Southwest

Irrigation canals

independent towns tied together into a confederation

Southwest

Anasazi - villages composed of multiple attached apartments

demise probably by drought

Northwest

Multiple small villages living off the abundance of fish and game animals

totems served religious purpose

The plains

Dependent on buffalo and other game

small, mobile villange

nomadic