APUSH Pre-Colonial Native American Societies

Clovis

A group that is theorized to have traveled to the Americas via a land bridge over the Bering Strait, likely from Mongolia/Siberia

Archaic Period

A historical term for a period of time in Native American history

First part: people support themselves through hunting and gathering, using stone tools from Asia, many animals went extinct

Last part: new tools developed, sedentary agricultural settlements develop

Cuzco

historic capital of the Inca Empire, located in modern-day Peru; a major political, religious, and cultural center

Inca

A Native American empire that spanned the Chilean coast and was sustained by innovative administrative systems and by a large network of paved roads

Pachacuti

spurred the development of the vast Inca Empire; had agents persuade other tribes of the benefits of Inca control

Olmec

ancient civilization in Mesoamerica, known for their colossal head sculptures and as a precursor to later cultures like the Maya and Mexicas

Maya

civilization in Mesoamerica known for their advancements in mathematics, astronomy, and architecture, as well as their complex calendar system and hieroglyphic writing

Mexica

ancient civilization in Mesoamerica; a collection of many tribes; founded the capital Tenochtitlán, known for its advanced agricultural practices and as the dominant force in the region before Spanish conquest

Eskimos

indigenous peoples of the Arctic regions; fished and hunted seals; traversed icy land by dogsled

Pacific Northwest

region of Native peoples in which salmon fishing was prominent; substantial settlements were created along the coast; constant competition between tribes for natural resources

Far West

region of Native peoples in arid regions where wealthy, densely-populated communities were created; focused on hunting small game and gathering

Southwest

region of Native peoples that had among the most elaborate agricultural societies; had large irrigation systems to deal with the dry land; constructed densely populated towns such as at Chaco Canyon; stone and adobe terraced structures (pueblos)

pueblos

stone and adobe terraced structures constructed primarily by Native people in the Southwest

Great Plains

region of Native peoples where most tribes were focused on sedentary farming, although there were some tribes that nomadically hunted buffalo

Woodland Indians

Native American tribes that inhabited the Eastern United States, known for their agricultural practices and elaborate mound-building

Southeast

region of Native peoples in which permanent settlements and large trading networks were established based on corn/grain on the Mississippi River

Northeast

region of Native peoples in which tribes were more nomadic, using slash and burn agriculture and generally migrated from area to area

Iriquois

a confederacy of Native American tribes in the Northeastern United States, known for their complex political system and longhouses; women and children were often left at home tending to the crops while men hunted and conducted diplomacy