`Section 1 - The First Americans

Introduction

• There are several scattered Native American tribes, that would settle the Americas far before the Europeans.
• Their ancestries date back thousands of years before the Europeans.

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1. The Migration Routes of the First Americans + Migrating East and South

• The Natives had their routes in Siberia, from Asia.
• Scientists theorized that the Natives started their journey in Siberia, where there was a landbridge to Alaska that slowly vanished.
• Hunters would follow the animals south and after the land bridge from Siberia to Alaska evaporated, the Siberian hunters had to adapt to their surroundings.

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2. The First Americans Adapt to the Environment + American Indian Cultural Regions

• The American Indians had a strong connection to their surroundings, they would be able to live with what they can and learned how to modify the land to suit their needs.
• In the north, they learned how to make homes out of animal skin and how to raise squashes and chili peppers.
• Over the generations, the groups of American Indians developed their own cultures.
• You could split many Native American cultures into 10 major cultural regions by the 1400s.

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3. Cultural Region 1: American Indians of the Arctic

• Much of the arctic is made out of tundra, with very little vegetation.
• It was very hard to find food in the arctic tundra, but during the summer that was much easier as the malibu would be more abundant.

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4. Cultural Region 2: American Indians of the Northwest Coast

• In the northwest coast, there was an abundance of seafood.
• The forests of the Northwood served as wood for home production.
• Men would create tools such as:   * clothing with wooden hedges and bone drills.   * stone chisels and knives
• Women would:   * sew   * make blankets

(i swear im not sexist blame the book)

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5. Cultural Region 3: American Indians of California

• The California region would have intense weather, with the summers being hot and dry.
• Groups in California would have many sources of food, such as:   * salmon.     * The process to get salmon was to fish.   * ducks.     * The process to catch ducks would involve bows and arrows.
• The people of California would create homes based on the climate they were in.

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6. Cultural Region 4: American Indians of the Great Basin

• There was very limited food in the American Great Basin.
• The climate was extreme hot and extreme cold.

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7: American Indians of the Plateau:

• There was an easy climate. with an easier route to get wood.
• Food was easier to get, as it was nearer.
• Abundance of wood fueled better and faster construction.

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8: American Indians of the Southwest

• Due to the harsh climate, there was a major difficulty getting food in the Southwest.
• In the Southwest, the native tribes were nomadic.   * Sidenote: nomadic means agricultural and behind on technology.
• Corn was by far the most important crop in the Southwest, as it was easy to grow.

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9: American Indians of the Great Plains

• The Great Plains were vast flat terrain.
• Because of the flat terrain of the great plains, hunting season would become important as it was difficult to grow crops.
• The bison would be important as it would be a source of food.

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10: American Indians of the Eastern Woodlands

• In the Woodlands there was an abundance of trees.
• The woods would provide all needed to live, food and construction.
• The woodlands would be cleared for farming.

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11: American Indians of the Southeast

• The Southeast was incredibly fertile, and would be very suitable for crops.
• Southeast America had towns mounted by large eastern mounds.

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