The Peoples of North America Chapter 11 Section 1

Between 15,000 and 20,000 years ago, the last ice age caused sea levels to drop. This created a land bridge once connecting the Asian and North American Continents. Most people believe that people from Asia used this land bridge to cross the Bering strait to North America.

About 3000 B.C. The Inuit moved into NA from Asia. They had to learn very specific skills to survive in such a cold and harsh environment. They settled along the coasts of the tundra region, the treeless land south of the Artic. Used harpoons and spears made from antler or narwhal tusk and were skilled hunters. Homes were build out of stones and turf. The Igloo was a temporary shelter used during traveling.

Around 1000 B.C. farming villages appeared in the Eastern Woodlands. One group was the Hopewell people in the Ohio river valley. They were known as mound-builders, built large, elaborate earth mounts that were used as tombs or for ceremonies. Some were built in the shapes of animals. Main crops were corn, squash and beans.

Cities began to appear some having a population greater than 10,000. At Cahokia archaeologist found a burial mount over 98 ft. high. The base was larger than the Great Pyramid in Egypt.

Iroquois The Iroquois lived in longhouses surrounded by wooden fences for protection. Each longhouse was around 150 to 200 ft. in length and housed over a dozen families. Iroquois men hunted deer, bear, caribou, rabbits and beavers. Warriors also protected the community. Most important crops: squash, beans and corn. Women owned the dwellings, gathered wild plants, and grew crops. They also cooked, made baskets and took care of the children.

War was common between groups of Iroquois. From the combined efforts of Deganawida and Hiawatha came the great peace with created and alliance between five of the groups called the Iroquois league. The Grand council was a group of leaders who sat down to talk about differences.

Plains Indians Every summer the men left the villages to hunt buffalo. They would work to frighten them so they would stampede over a cliff. They used the meat, skins for clothing, and made tools out of the bones.

Peoples of the Southwest: The Anasazi Despite dry conditions the Anasazi people established an extensive farming unit. They used canals and earthen dams to irrigate the land. They were skilled at making baskets and pottery. They used stone and adobe (sun-dried brick to build pueblos- multistoried structures used to house many people.

There was a series of droughts over a 50 year period that led Anasazi to abandon there center at Chaco Canyon. To the north in Colorado a community had formed at Mesa Verde. Today it is a national park in the United states. They had build a series of buildings in cliff walls.