1. Native American Civilizations
America Before 1500
Native American Civilizations

2. North and South America Before 1500
Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters.
-African Proverb

3. The First People in America
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Early Societies/Civilizations
Early Native American Societies
Sedentary
(Aztecs/Inca/Mya)
Nonsedentary
Semisedentary

6. 3 societies compared and contrasted
Nonsedentary
Semisedentary
(Iroquois)
Sedentary (Inca/Mya/Aztecs)
Hunter gatherers
Mix of farming and hunting/gathering
Large-scale farming
Nomadic; follow food supply
Permanent cities/villages with roads, markets, and houses
Small populations/villages
(<100)
Bigger populations/villages
(hundreds-thousands)
Huge populations
(millions)
No political leaders, laws, taxes
Some leadership to enforce laws and taxes
Powerful tribal leaders create laws, taxes

8. Mesoamerican Indians were the first to cultivate:
Some of the most complex and advanced cultures of the Americas, and for that matter in the world, developed in Mesoamerica.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mesoamerican Indians were the first to cultivate:
corn, Irish potato, sweet potatoes, manioc, several varieties of beans, squash, pumpkins, peanuts, tomatoes, chocolate, rubber, long staple cotton, tobacco, and the use of rubber.

9. Mesoamerica

10. Location of Aztecs and Mayans in Mesoamerica

11. Inca Empire

12. Native American Culture Regions

13. Iroquois League
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson would later praise the Iroquois League and model some of our government after theirs.

20. Early Civilizations Decline
Before 1500, many early civilizations died off due to disease, natural disasters, and war among tribes.
Example: Maya tribe ruled Mesoamerica from A.D Very advanced/complex empire but mysteriously vanished.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

21. Summing Up and Looking Forward
After migrating to the Americas in 35,000 B.C., Native Americans from 35,000 B.C. to 1500 A.D. developed complex civilizations. But, none of these civilizations, even the most advanced ones such as the Incas and Aztecs, were as advanced as European empires such as France, Spain, and England. Native Americans had no idea about European culture, technology, warfare, or disease. They would soon find out beginning in 1492.

22. Key Terms From This Lesson
Mesoamerica
migration
sedentary, nonsedentary, and semisedentary
Mya, Inca, and Aztec tribes
Culture regions
Eastern Woodlands and Mississippi River Valley Tribes
Great Plains Native American Region
Southwest Native American Region
Northwest Native American Region