Native American Cultures and Early Civilizations - Key Terms

VOCABULARY flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the notes.

Beringia

A land bridge that connected Siberia to Alaska during the Ice Age, enabling the first humans to migrate into North America.

Mastodon

A large prehistoric mammal hunted by early humans; its size made cooperative hunting necessary.

Agriculture

The practice of cultivating crops and domesticating animals, which led to surplus food and settled communities.

Olmec

A Mesoamerican civilization in southern Mexico (~1200 B.C.) known for temple complexes, stone heads, and early writing.

Ancestral Pueblo

Southwestern Native American culture that developed farming techniques for arid lands, including dry farming with catch basins.

Dry farming with catch basins

A water-conserving agricultural method used by the Ancestral Pueblo to capture and retain rainfall.

Great Serpent Mound

A prehistoric effigy mound in Ohio, attributed to the Adena culture.

Cahokia

Mississippian city near present-day St. Louis that grew to over 20,000 inhabitants and built Monk’s Mound.

Totem poles

Carved wooden monuments used by Pacific Northwest peoples to tell clan and family histories.

Horses (Plains)

The introduction of horses transformed Plains cultures by enabling faster buffalo hunting and more mobile lifestyles.