Beringia: the “Land Bridge” between Asia and America

The Big Question… Question: Where did the “Native Americans” come from? Answer: Asia.

The Big Boo-Boo… Question: Why are Native Americans called “Indians?” Answer: Christopher Columbus made a big mistake...but that’s another story for another day…

a definition: Migration Migration: when people or animals move from one place to live in another place… Notice: Migrate is the root word of immigrate Migration is the root word of immigration

5 Migration Theories Two migration theories suggest humans crossed the Pacific Ocean to get to America. Two migration theories suggest humans crossed the Atlantic Ocean to get to America. One migration theory suggests humans crossed dry land or ice-covered land to get to America.

BERINGIA Based on the work of anthropologists and by examining the artifacts found by archaeologists…the most widely accepted migration theory is the Beringia land crossing theory.

three definitions: Anthropologist: someone who studies people and their culture (the way they live their lives) Archaeologist: someone who searches for the artifacts of the people of the past Artifact: anything that was made by a human (tools, weapons, clothes, etc.)

BERINGIA Beringia is the term used to describe the area between Siberia (in Asia) and Alaska (in North America). The Bering Strait (water) lies between Siberia and Alaska today. Anything named “Bering” is named in honor of the Russian explorer, Vitus Bering.

The Last Ice Age c. 35,000 years ago – the last ice age began Earth’s temperatures fell glacier ice grew larger and thicker sea levels fell because water was sucked up and frozen into the glaciers

Migration c. 30,000 years ago – people began to travel back and forth between Asia and America probably following animal herds for food large numbers of people moving to new places is called migration people who move from place to place are called nomads

Animals of North America at the time of the arrival of humans.

Migration, con’t c. 15,000 years ago – people began shifting further to the south and east moved into what is the present-day USA moved through present-day Mexico settled as far south as present-day Chile

End of the Last Ice Age c. 10,000 years ago – the last Ice Age began to end Earth’s temperature began to rise climates warmed, vegetation and animals began to change glaciers melted and sea levels rose; Beringia was covered with water

A big discovery… c. 9,000 years ago – people living in Central America discovered how to cultivate maize Maize – corn…

The effects of Maize people who cultivated maize provided an abundant food supply for their family group encouraged permanent communities encouraged the growth in population

Native American Cultures people changed… from hunting and gathering to farming and herding from Asian style culture to “Native American” culture

Native American Cultures “empires” grew…Maya, Aztec, Inca, etc.

Beringia: the“Bridge” between Asia and America