Unit+1A+-+New+World+Beginnings

New World Beginnings (33,000 B.C.E - 1492 C.E.)

Key Terms to Know

  • Native American: A member of the race of people living in America when Europeans arrived (also referred to as "American Indian").

  • Maize: An American plant that yields large grains set in rows on a cob (corn).

  • Three Sister Farming: Agricultural method where corn is planted in small hills with beans and squash interspersed; these crops nurture each other when planted together.

  • Sedentary: Describes populations living in one place for extended periods.

Peopling the Americas

  • The Great Ice Age (2 million - 10,000 years ago):

    • Massive glaciers formed due to the freezing of world oceans, lowering sea levels.

    • Creation of a land bridge across the Bering Sea (Siberia and Alaska).

    • Nomadic Asian hunters migrated across this bridge.

    • Post-Ice Age, rising sea levels flooded the land bridge, isolating the populations and preventing future migrations.

    • Evidence suggests some groups may have arrived via boat (e.g., Polynesians).

Migration Timeline

  • Human Settlement in Americas:

    • 35,000 years ago: Groups began exploring and settling the Americas, a process spanning over 20,000 years.

    • By 1492: Estimated 54 million indigenous people lived across America in over 2,000 tribes with distinct languages, customs, and religions.

    • Controversy over population estimates ranges from 8 million to 110 million, with significant debate among scholars and critics.

Advanced Civilizations

  • Notable cultures:

    • Inca (Peru) and Aztec (Mexico): Primarily agricultural societies focused on maize cultivation.

    • Developed elaborate cities, trade networks, and exceptional astronomical observations.

    • Tenochtitlan, founded in 1325 by the Aztecs, became a significant urban center.

Pre-Contact Population of the Americas

  • Major empires and cultures included:

    • Mound Builders (Adena, Lowland Hopewell, Mississippian)

    • Cultural regions such as Mesoamerica and Southwest America.

    • Controversial estimates for the population of 1492 suggest between 50 and 100 million.

Subsistence Methods in Early Americas

  • Methods:

    • Intensive farming, hunting, and gathering.

    • Adaptation to diverse environmental conditions and availability of resources.

Pre-Contact Cultural Regions

  • Major regions:

    • Arctic

    • Subarctic

    • Northwest Coast

    • Plateau

    • California

    • Great Basin

    • Plains

    • Northeast

    • Southeast

    • Southwest

    • Mesoamerica

Selected Native American Peoples circa 1500

  • Tribes include:

    • Pueblo

    • Powhatan

    • Pequot

    • Iroquois Confederacy

    • Chickasaw

    • Choctaw

    • Creek

    • Cherokee

    • Navajo

Culture of the Pueblo

  • Originally referred to as Hopi or Zuni (Anasazi)

  • Developed sophisticated irrigation systems and multi-story buildings.

  • Actively engaged in trade; known for large burial mounds (Mound Builders).

Native American Cultures in Different Regions

  • Southwest:

    • Farming began as early as 2000 B.C.E.

    • Notable peoples include Anasazi, Navajo, and Apache.

    • Environment changes led to migrations.

  • West:

    • Reliance on hunting, gathering, and fishing, with diverse cultural identities depending on region.

    • Established intricate trading systems, particularly in the Great Basin.

  • Northeast:

    • Agriculture focused on the Three Sister farming technique.

    • Initiated Iroquois League to promote peace and collaboration among tribes.

  • Southeast:

    • Advanced urban centers established by Mississippians with significant agricultural productivity.

    • Five Civilized Tribes of the Southeast formed chiefdoms and alliances with Europeans.

  • Plains:

    • Included both sedentary and nomadic lifestyles with notable tribes like Pawnee and Cheyenne.

    • Adoption of horses by tribes transformed their hunting practices.

Native American Life Prior to European Contact

  • Societies primarily consisted of small, mobile settlements.

  • Gender roles differed: women typically managed crops while men focused on hunting.

  • Existence of matrilineal cultures where lineage and inheritance were traced through the female line.

Thinking about "Discovery"

  • The term "discovery" is being reconsidered by historians due to its implications regarding European exploration and colonization of lands already inhabited by millions.