Overview of Native American Societies

Introduction to Native Societies in America

• Common perceptions of American history often anchor on dates like 1776 (Declaration of Independence) and 1492 (Columbus's arrival).
• However, true American history begins around 15,000 years ago with the settlement of the Americas by the first peoples.
• Diverse and complex native societies existed long before European contact, adapting to their environments.

Arrival of First Peoples

• Scholarly Debate: Theories exist regarding the initial migration to the Americas:
• Land Bridge Theory: About 12,000 years ago, during an ice age, lowered sea levels may have revealed a land bridge between Asia and the Americas.
• Recent archaeological findings suggest that people may have arrived even earlier and could have used boats.
• By the late 1400s, estimates suggest around 50 million people lived in the Americas, with 4-6 million residing in North America.

Development of Societies

• A significant change occurred around 5000 BCE with the domestication of maize (corn) in Mexico.
• Transition from hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities, allowing the formation of villages and complex societies, although hunting and gathering continued alongside agriculture.

Major Native Societies by Region

• Southwest (Example: Ancestral Puebloans)
• Adaptation to a dry climate through complex irrigation systems for maize cultivation.
• Dwellings often consisted of large cave complexes, supporting greater population densities once agriculture flourished.
• Great Plains
• Predominantly continued hunting and gathering lifestyle focused on hunting bison with portable dwellings (teepees).
• Northwest
• Fishing provided abundant food sources; farming led to the establishment of large settlements (e.g., Cahokia).
• Cahokia had a population that could reach 25,000-40,000 at its peak.
• Mississippian Culture and East Coast Societies
• Utilized three-sister farming: planting corn, beans, and squash together.
  • Benefits include:
  • Corn provides a trellis for beans.
  • Squash protects the roots of corn.
• This method promoted a nutritious diet and supported a high population density.

Impact of European Contact

• By the late 1400s and 1500s, native societies had evolved for over 14,000 years.
• The arrival of Europeans brought unprecedented changes, including new pathogens, plants, and animals that drastically altered the Americas and its indigenous populations.