Native Societies

• Complex social structures

• Diverse and unique

• Innovations in agriculture

• Groups were distinguished by geographic and environmental factors including competition over resources

• It is believed that the first people arrived in the Americas by crossing a now-flooded land bridge over the Bering Sea

  • It is assumed an Asian group migrated from Siberia

  • Groups slowly migrated further south and eventually populated the entire Americas

• Between 5000 and 8000 BCE, hunting and gathering begins in the Great Plains region

• Agriculture is based on maize/corn during this time, alongside squash and beans

South and Central America

• Most elaborate early civilizations were in South and Central America

  • In Peru, the Incas had the largest empire in the Americas

  • The Mayan civilization was very strong and had written language, astrology, numerical systems, and an accurate calendar

    • They also had an advanced agricultural system

    • As well as established trade routes

North America

• Complex societies with hunting, gathering, and fishing

• The Southwest

  • Elaborate and large irrigation systems to make the best of the dry climate

  • Cultivation of maize spreads here from the Mexican Heartland

  • Corn allows nomadic groups into settled villages

  • Towns had centers of trade, religion, culture, etc.

• The Great Plains

  • Both settled groups farming maize as well as nomadic buffalo hunters

• Woodlands

  • Densely packed tribes in the Eastern third of the future U.S.

  • These groups had advanced fishing, farming, gathering, and hunting

  • The South had large trade based on maize and other grains grown around the Mississippi

  • Known for their mounds

  • Common linguistic roots

  • Spread from present day Canada to Virginia

  • The Iroquois are in present up-state New York

  • It was rare for these tribes to unite against European threats