[ 1.1 ] The Early Americas

[ 1.1 ] The Early Americas Learning Objectives Explain how people first reached the Americas. Describe early civilizations and cultures of the Americas. Identify the human and physical characteristics of regions. Analyze how physical characteristics influenced population distribution and settlement patterns.

[ 1.1 ] The Early Americas Key Terms glaciers settlements surplus civilization city-state causeways quipu terraces culture adobe pueblos Mound Builders culture region tribe diffusion pit houses potlatch Kachinas clan Iroquois League sachems

The First Americans Like other early people around the world, the first Americans left no written records to tell us where they came from or when they arrived. However, scientists have found evidence to suggest that the first people reached the Americas sometime during the last ice age.

The First Americans Populations Spread Adapting to and Modifying Environments

The First Americans This map depicts both the land-bridge and coastal-route theories of North American migration. Analyze Maps Why do some scientists disagree with the land-bridge migration theory?

The First Americans Native Americans adapted their way of life to different environments. This illustration shows a group living along a lake.

Olmecs Develop a Civilization Farming was a key advance for early societies in the Americas. In time, some farming communities in the Americas grew enough surplus, or extra, food to support large populations, and the first cities emerged.

Olmecs Develop a Civilization The Olmecs, a tropical civilization, left behind many carvings of giant stone heads. They are generally thought to be portraits of Olmec rulers.

Mayan Civilization The Olmecs influenced many later peoples, including the Mayas. The early Mayas lived in the rain forests of what are today Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, and southern Mexico. About 3,000 years ago, they began clearing the rain forest and draining swamps to create farmland.

Mayan Civilization Mayan Social Classes Achievements in Mathematics and Astronomy

Mayan Civilization Farming techniques developed in ancient times by the Mayas are still used by Maya farmers today.

Aztec Civilization Long after the Maya cities were abandoned, a new civilization arose to the northwest. Its builders were the Aztecs. The early Aztecs were nomads, people who moved from place to place in search of food. In the 1300s, the Aztecs settled around Lake Texcoco (tays KOH koh) in central Mexico. From there, they built a powerful empire.

Aztec Civilization Tenochtitlán Religion A Powerful Empire

Aztec Civilization Aztecs adapted to life on an island in the middle of a lake with limited land area by using chinampas for agriculture, even planting trees to better anchor them to the lake bed.

Aztec Civilization Analyze Charts What does the organization of Aztec society tell us about the Aztecs’ values?

Aztec Civilization This illustration shows Aztec warriors in battle. The Aztecs conquered many people as they built a powerful empire.

Inca Civilization Far to the south of the Aztecs, the Incas built one of the largest empires in the Americas. By 1500, their empire stretched for almost 2,500 miles along the west coast of South America.

Inca Civilization An Impressive Capital Inca Achievements

Inca Civilization This ancient Inca stone wall remains standing today.

Early North American Societies Scholars have found evidence of complex societies among some groups of people farther north. Traders and migrating people carried foods, goods, arts, and beliefs from Central America and Mexico to early peoples of North America. These peoples developed many distinct cultures in North America. A culture is the entire way of life of a people. It includes their homes, clothing, economy, arts, and government.

Early North American Societies Land and People of the Southwest Anasazi Houses Mound Builders

Early North American Societies Analyze Maps What modern-day states correspond to the region settled by Native Americans in the Southwest?

Early North American Societies The Anasazi made use of their environment by building dwellings along sheer cliffs as protection against intruders.

Culture and the Physical Characteristics of North America Native Americans did not belong to just one group. Instead, Native Americans included many different people with many distinct cultures. In North America alone, there were hundreds of Native American languages spoken. Native American cultures, too, varied greatly, much like the cultures of the people of Europe.

Culture and the Physical Characteristics of North America Hunting, Gathering, and Fishing Farming Trade Adapting to and Modifying Environments Cultures of the Arctic and Subarctic Regions Cultures of the California, Great Basin, and Plateau Regions Cultures of the Northwest Coastal Region Cultures of the Southwest Region Cultures of the Southeast Region Cultures of the Great Plains Region Cultures of the Eastern Woodlands Region

Culture and the Physical Characteristics of North America Groups of Native American tribes formed shared cultures in different geographic regions. Analyze Maps Which tribes listed on this map do you know about?

Culture and the Physical Characteristics of North America Analyze Charts How did the foods Native Americans ate influence their way of life?

Culture and the Physical Characteristics of North America This Inuit sculpture of a bear is carved from soapstone, a type of rock mostly made up of the mineral talc.

Religion The many Native American groups had a wide variety of beliefs. Yet, they shared some basic ideas.

Religion Close Ties to Nature Special Ceremonies

Religion Native Americans, such as the Kwakiutls, used nets to fish for salmon, an important food source.

The Iroquois League The Iroquois (IHR uh kwoi) people of present-day New York State called themselves “The People of the Long House.” They took great pride in their sturdy dwellings, called long houses. A typical long house was about 150 feet long and 20 feet wide. Twelve or more families lived in a long house.

The Iroquois League The Iroquois lived in wooden long houses that were built clustered together. The long houses were built of posts and poles covered with tree bark.

Quiz: The First Americans What was the main reason that early settlers gradually spread across the Americas? A. They were constantly under attack from neighboring tribes. B. They often relocated to find more favorable farming conditions. C. They traveled far and wide to trade their goods with other tribes. D. They were nomadic hunters and had to keep moving in search of food.

Quiz: Olmecs Develop a Civilization The first cities developed because A. builders learned how to make permanent dwellings out of stone. B. the social caste system made for a more effective division of labor. C. farmers were able to grow more food than they needed to survive. D. the invention of the calendar made it possible to predict the seasons.

Quiz: Mayan Civilization Which group of people had the highest power in Maya society? A. farmers B. laborers C. nobles D. warriors

Quiz: Aztec Civilization Which represents an Aztec adaptation to their environment? A. farming in terraces B. a system of causeways C. a surplus of farmed crops D. an accurate 365-day calendar

Quiz: Inca Civilization What was the purpose of a quipu? A. to measure length B. to indicate the season C. to communicate quantities D. to determine the population

Quiz: Early North American Societies How did the Anasazi adapt to escape threats from neighboring tribes? A. by creating deep canals to serve as moats B. by building sturdy stone walls C. by building homes along steep cliffs D. by maintaining their capital on an island

Quiz: Culture and the Physical Characteristics of North America Which physical feature most affected what people of a region ate? A. the region’s patterns of settlement B. whether a region was flat or mountainous C. the region’s climate D. the region’s languages and cultures

Quiz: Religion What was a common belief among Native American tribes? A. They could survive only by adapting to nature. B. Kachinas had the power to bring good harvests. C. No part of a hunted animal should ever be wasted. D. The sun god was the most powerful of all the gods.

Quiz: The Iroquois League What role did women have in the Iroquois tribe? A. They oversaw trade. B. They built long houses. C. They had all of the power. D. They chose clan leaders.