Topic 1.2
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UNIT 1 — Period 1: 1491-1607
📍Topic 1.2 Native American Societies Before European Contact
📖 AMSCO p.3 - p.7
Main Idea
⭐ Native American societies showcased impressive adaptability across diverse environments and climates. They developed intricate societies, technologies, and agricultural practices, deeply intertwined with their natural surroundings. Yet, by the time Europeans arrived, many of these societies had undergone substantial changes from both internal and external influences.
Key Timeline
Timeline of Native American Societies
Image Courtesy of Dohee
Things to Know
Initial Settlement of Americas:
- migrants from Asia crossed into the Americas and they moved southward
Central + South American Civilizations:
- Mayas = rainforest areas of Yucatán Peninsula
- Aztecs = powerful empire in central Mexico
- Incas = empire in Western South America based in Peru
Cultures of North America:
- Southwest Settlements
- Notable groups include Hohokam, Anasazi, and Pueblos. They evolved multifaceted societies, with the spread of maize cultivation playing a pivotal role.
- Northwest Settlements
- Tribes in this region lived in longhouses or plank houses and had diets based on hunting, fishing, and gathering.
- Great Basin & Great Plains
- Nomadic tribes adapted to dry climates and vast grasslands by hunting buffalo and living in tepees.
- Mississippi River Valley
- The Adena-Hopewell culture built large earthen mounds and had significant settlements like Cahokia.
- Northeast Settlements
- The Iroquois Confederation was a significant political entity, with tribes like Seneca, Cayuga, and Mohawk playing prominent roles.
- Atlantic Seaboard Settlements
- Tribes such as the Cherokee and Lumbee built lodgings along rivers and relied on rivers and oceans for sustenance.
Terms to Remember
| Term | Definition + Significance |
|---|---|
| Bering Sea Land Bridge | The pathway that migrants from Asia might have used to cross to the Americas, connecting Siberia and Alaska. |
| Mayas, Aztecs, Incas | Three major civilizations in Central and South America known for their advanced societies and cultivation. |
| Corn (Maize) | Staple food for the Mayas and Aztecs; fundamental for the development of societies. |
| Adena-Hopewell Culture | Native American culture centered in modern-day Ohio, known for constructing large earthen mounds. |
| Iroquois Confederation | A union of six tribes from the Great Lakes and New York area, known for its political strength and territorial expansion. |