Pre-Columbian Test

Definition: Refers to the period in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus and other Europeans (before 1492).
Prehistoric Humans: Early inhabitants of the Americas were nomads and hunter-gatherers.
Nomad: A person who has no fixed location and moves from place to place.
Ice Age: The Earth experienced a period of extreme cold, leading to the migration of humans across the Bering land-bridge from Asia to North America.
Migration: The mass movement of people to new lands; early humans migrated as far as South America.
Ancestors of Native Americans: Prehistoric nomads are the ancestors of modern Native American groups.

First Peoples/Indigenous: Indigenous people were the original inhabitants of the Americas. They adapted to their environments, which had a significant influence on their culture.
Culture: A society’s way of life, including language, clothes, rules, food, etc.
Environment and Resources: The environment shaped Native American cultures by providing resources such as food, water, and materials for tools and shelter.
Sedentary and Semi-Sedentary: Some Native groups were sedentary (staying in one place), while others were semi-sedentary, moving occasionally based on resource availability.
Hunters/Gatherers: Early Native Americans hunted animals and gathered wild plants for food.

Northeast and Woodland Tribes:
- Iroquois: Lived in the northeastern woodlands, formed the powerful Iroquois League (a confederation of tribes). They were semi-sedentary, living in longhouses made of wood.
- Iroquois League: Known for a sophisticated system of governance, where decisions were made by consensus.
Southeast Woodlands:
- Cherokee: Lived in the southeastern region, known for farming and complex village life. The Cherokee had a rich oral tradition and a writing system developed later by Sequoyah.
The Great Plains:
- Comanche: Nomadic tribe known for their horse-riding skills and hunting buffalo. Lived in tepees made from buffalo hides.
Southwest:
- Apache: Nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples who lived in the arid southwest. They relied on hunting, raiding, and gathering.
Great Basin:
- Shoshone: Lived in the dry Great Basin region, using a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to survive in harsh environments.
Northwest Coast:
- Chinook: Lived along the northwest coast and were known for their fishing skills, building large plank houses, and their use of canoes.

Location: Lived in Maine and parts of Canada, arriving in Maine around 11,000 years ago.
Tribes: Included the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot—called the "People of the Dawnland."
Natural Resources: The environment provided food such as fish, game, and wild plants. Birch bark was used for building shelters and canoes.
Government: Tribes were led by councils, with leaders called “Sakoms” chosen for being respected listeners.
Religion: The Wabanaki practiced shamanism.
Oral Tradition: Folklore was a vital part of Wabanaki culture. One example is the legend of Gluskabi and the Monster Frog, which explains how lakes and rivers were created.

Early humans crossed the Bering land-bridge during the last Ice Age, migrating from Asia to North America.
Why Migrate?: Push factors like climate change and pull factors like the search for food sources drove human migration.
Homo sapiens: Humans originated in Africa and spread across the globe, eventually reaching the Americas around 14,000 years ago.

The environment was the biggest influence on Native American cultures.
Different regions had varying resources (like food and materials), which shaped the tools, shelter, and way of life of each group.
Resource Availability: Access to resources such as food and water was critical. Physical geography, climate, and location determined the lifestyle of each tribe.

Iroquois: A Native American tribe from the northeastern woodlands.
Pre-Columbian: The time in America before European explorers arrived.
Sedentary: A lifestyle in which people stay in one place.
First Peoples/Indigenous: The original inhabitants of a region.
Resources: Natural materials like food, water, and wood that people need to survive.
Hunters/Gatherers: People who survive by hunting animals and gathering wild plants.
Writing System: A formalized method of writing, such as the Cherokee system created by Sequoyah.
Bering Land-Bridge: The land connection between Asia and North America during the Ice Age.
Iroquois League: A confederation of Native American tribes in the northeast.
Cultures: Ways of life shaped by environment, resources, and history.
Nomads: People who move frequently and have no permanent home.
Animism: The belief that natural objects have spirits.
Comanche: A nomadic tribe of the Great Plains, known for hunting buffalo.
Ethnic Groups: Groups of people sharing common cultural traits.
Climate: The weather conditions of a particular region.
Oral Tradition: The practice of passing down stories and history through spoken word.
Iron or Steel: Materials used to make tools and weapons.
Migrated: The movement of people from one area to another.
Tribe: A group of people who share a common culture and ancestry.