Lesson 1.1

Columbus

The explorer who mistakenly referred to Native Americans as 'Indians' due to his belief he had reached India.

Pre-Columbian Evidence

The lack of written records from Native American societies before 1492, relying instead on archaeology and anthropology.

Human Activity Evidence

Discoveries in 2011 traced human activity in Texas back to 13,500 BC, indicating a long history of habitation.

Native Population Estimate

The estimated population of Native Americans before European contact was around 10 million, significantly lower than today's population.

Polytheistic Beliefs

The shared religious belief among Native Americans in many gods residing in nature, reflecting a pantheistic worldview.

Community vs

Native American cultures valued community over individual ownership, lacking a sense of private property.

Linguistic Diversity

The presence of hundreds of languages among Native American tribes, indicating significant cultural diversity.

Tribal Organization

Native Americans were organized into tribes rather than nations, often defined by extended family structures.

Economic Differences

The division of North America into hunter-gatherer and farming societies, each with distinct lifestyles and survival needs.

Ancestral Pueblans

A farming civilization in the Four Corners region known for their advanced agricultural practices and multi-story dwellings.

Dendrochronology

The scientific method used to study tree rings, providing evidence of prolonged drought affecting Ancestral Pueblan agriculture.

Slash-and-Burn Farming

An agricultural technique used by the Ancestral Pueblans that involved cutting and burning woodland to enrich soil.

Pueblo Indian Society

The descendants of the Ancestral Pueblans, living in small towns and organized under a theocratic political structure.

Iroquois Indians

A group of Native Americans in the Northeast known for their agricultural practices and militaristic society.

Gender Roles

In Iroquois society, women were primarily farmers while men took on roles as hunters and warriors, contrasting with Pueblo practices.

Iroquois Confederacy

A political alliance of Iroquois tribes governed by a Council of 49, representing a federal system of governance.

Theocracy

A political system in which religious leaders hold power, as seen in Pueblo Indian society with shamen as multi-taskers.

Federal System

The Iroquois Confederacy's structure of governance, which may have influenced the later development of the U.S. federal system.