The Peopling of the Americas Tools of the Archaeologist & Historian

Tools of the Archaeologist Artifacts: inorganic tools and objects from earlier time periods Archaeologists uncover a fire hearth. Radiocarbon dating of organic substances at a site allows archaeologists to determine precise age of artifacts Features reveal unique characteristics of prehistoric cultures (Paleo-Indian fluted grooves on projectiles)

Tools of the Archaeologist DNA analysis allows archaeologists to determine relationships to other human lineages DNA can identify connections between today's native peoples and European or Asian ethnic groups

Tools of the Historian Linguistics: the study of the structure of languages The amount of linguistic diversity found in an area provides a clue to how long humans have lived there It takes a long period of time for language to diversify (produce different dialects)

Tools of the Historian Physical anthropology: the analysis of human remains Actual skull and clay recreation of Kennewick Man (9000 year old fossil) Spirit Cave Man, Nevada ( year old fossil) Wizards Beach Man ( year old skull) Examination of physical features, skull shape and other characteristics indicates connections between past and present racial/ethnic groups

Tools of the Historian Geology: the study of past geological eras such as the Ice Age (Pleistocene Era) sheds light on physical conditions that may have helped/hindered human migration to North America Wooly mammoths became extinct at the end of the last Ice Age. Vast ice sheets covered most of Canada until around years BP

Tools of the Historian Native mythology and oral traditions Native legends contain clues about the North American environment that suggest how long native peoples have been here