Ch. 1: New World Beginnings

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes detailing early Native American civilizations, farming techniques, and tribal confederations.

"Land Bridge" Theory

The theory that Asians walked across a frozen land bridge during the Ice Age and populated the Americas.

Incas

A complex Native society located in Peru that transformed their environment through agriculture and irrigation systems.

Mayans

A complex Native society located in Central America that transformed their environment through agriculture and irrigation systems.

Aztecs

A complex Native society located in Mexico that transformed their environment through agriculture and irrigation systems.

Pueblo Indians

The first North American natives to develop irrigation systems and grow corn, based in New Mexico and living in adobe houses.

Mississippian Mound Builders

An agricultural, corn-growing group in the Midwest that built huge ceremonial mounds.

Cahokia

A large settlement created by the Mississippian Mound Builders.

Three Sister Farming Techniques

A farming method used by Southern Indians (Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw) of growing corn, beans, and squash together, which created a rich and diverse diet that increased population.

Iroquois Confederation

A alliance in New York composed of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca tribes that united for defense.