The First Americans: Ancient American Indian Civilizations

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to ancient American Indian civilizations, their geography, climate, adaptations, and cultural practices as presented in the lecture notes.

migrate

To move from one place to another; early arrivals moved to the Americas in several different ways, including by boat and over land.

geography

The land and bodies of water of a place, which varied across North and South America and influenced how people lived.

agriculture

The practice of planting and raising food, which began about 10,000 years ago and led to people staying in one place.

climate

The weather in a place over time, which was different in each region and influenced human settlement and resource use.

hunter-gatherer

An early person who traveled from place to place in search of animals to hunt, fish to catch, and fruit and nuts to collect.

Beringia

A dry bridge of land that connected Asia to North America thousands of years ago, which early people may have crossed.

nomad

A person who moves within a specific region to follow herds of animals and collect food.

technology

The use of scientific knowledge or tools to do work, such as irrigation for farming.

irrigation

A type of technology used to bring water from nearby rivers to crops, especially in dry and hot areas.

civilization

A society with organized systems of government, religion, and learning, which developed as populations grew due to agriculture.

Mayan civilization

An advanced civilization that rose in Central America about 3,500 years ago, known for its writing system, accurate calendar, and advanced math.

Aztec civilization

What is the name of a civilization that thrived throughout southern Mexico and Central America, with its main city center in Tenochtitlán, known for modifying its environment with 'floating gardens'.

Tenochtitlán

The main city center of the Aztec civilization, built in what is today Mexico City.

Chinampas

Aztec 'floating gardens' made of reeds, used to grow crops on the shores of lakes outside the dry land of Tenochtitlán.

Inuit

People who live in the far northern part of North America, adapted to a harsh, frozen environment, relying on sea animals and using kayaks.

Kayak

A small, watertight canoe developed and used by the Inuit to fish in the sea.

Mound Builders

A civilization that developed around the Ohio River about 3,000 years ago, known for building large earthen mounds for religious ceremonies or graves.

Ancestral Puebloans

A group that first appeared about 2,000 years ago in the desert Southwest, known as successful farmers who used irrigation and built cliff dwellings.

Cliff dwellings

Homes built inside cliffs by the Ancestral Puebloans to stay cool in the hot climate and get shelter from the sun.

Culture

A way of life, characteristic of different American Indian cultural groups before Europeans arrived.

American Indians

One of the terms used by native peoples and historians to refer to the people living in North America prior to the arrival of Europeans.

Indigenous peoples

A term referring to the first people to settle on the land, such as those who traveled from Asia to North America about 15,000 years ago.

Native Americans

One of the terms used by native peoples and historians to refer to the people living in North America prior to the arrival of Europeans.