1-To Adapt to Nature and the Diverse History of the Americas

The history of the Native peoples of the Americas begins with __________.

hunters and gatherers.

Their search for food begins around __________ BCE with the crossing of the Bering Strait.

20,000.

The tip of South America was already populated by hunters and gatherers around __________ BCE.

13,000.

Two main distinctions in pre-colonial cultures are __________ and non__________ people.

sedentary, non-sedentary

Non-sedentary and semi-sedentary. people were half or full __________ with no permanent __________.

nomadic, residence

In 1492, where did semi-sedentary and non-sedentary people live? In the __________ Zone and M__________.

Andean, Mesoamerica

Sedentary people developed concentrated sedentary cultures into __________ and segmented sedentary cultures into __________.

empires; cities.

In the Andes, the oldest city of the Americas, called __________, was constructed on the Pacific Coast.

Caral.

The most complex societies developed in natural settings that seem __________.

inhospitable.

The Nazca culture thrived in the driest deserts of the world from about __________ BC to 600 AD.

200.

According to historian Michael Coe, the greatest Mesoamerican invention was __________.

maize.

The problem with corn is that it is naturally deficient in essential __________ acids and __________.

amino, niacin.

A significant Mesoamerican invention is the cooking of ripe kernels with __________ to unlock niacin.

ashes.

The Mayas not only cultivated maize but also brought __________ to perfection.

writing.

The classical Maya city-states collapsed around __________ AD due to droughts and depletion of soils.

900.

The civilization of __________ in Peru was as ancient as Sumeria and existed in isolation from other cultures.

Caral.

The use of __________ was initiated by the civilization of Caral for record-keeping until the Inca Empire.

quipu.

In Mesoamerica, the cultures included the __________, Aztec, and Maya.

Olmec.

Depth of writing in __________ American culture is notable for its complexity, unlike __________ American cultures, which lacked complex hieroglyphic systems.

Meso, South

Maize was cultivated in Mesoamerica since __________ BC.

6800.

The Mayas faced a problematic absence of __________, impacting their agricultural practices.

groundwater.

The tropical soils quickly decline in fertility due to __________ and burning.

slash-and-burn agriculture.

In South America, complex societies were found in __________ environments such as deserts and high altitudes.

inhospitable.

The collapse of the classical Maya was linked to many factors, including __________ and warfare.

droughts.

Sedentary cultures in the Americas led to the rise of __________ and advanced political structures.

empires.

Hunters and gatherers began their search for food, crossing the Bering Strait.

Around 20,000 BCE

The tip of South America was already populated by hunters and gatherers.

“Around ___”

Around 13,000 BCE

Maize was cultivated in Mesoamerica.

6800 BCE

The Nazca culture thrived in the driest deserts of the world.

“About __ to __”

About 200 BC to 600 AD

The classical Maya city-states collapsed due to droughts and depletion of soils.

900 AD

The civilization of Caral in Peru existed in isolation.

“Around the time of Sumeri”

Around the time of Sumeria