The First Americans

1. The First Americans Native American Tribes in the US

2. Last Ice Age • Glaciers covered N. America • Nomads • Walked from Asia across the Bering Strait • Some societies were very simple • Others very complex

3. “Bone Pit” • 1908-African-American named George McJunkin uncovered very large animal bones in Folsom, New Mexico • Called it the “bone pit” • Self-taught in ancient bones, minerals, arrowheads, geology, natural history • Wrote to scientists about discovery • 1922-scientists began research after his death • Bones 9,000 yrs old • Some had flint in shape of spear points-Folsom point

4. Clovis Point • Clovis, New Mexico in the 1930’s • Clovis point more than 4,000 yrs older than Folsom • Thought to be 1st Americans-more evidence that other groups arrived at the same time

5. Southwestern Cultures • Hohokam-Arizona • Mogollon-SE Arizona & SE New Mexico • Anasazi-4 corners area on flat-topped mesas

6. Hohokam • Desert areas, irrigation canals (hand-dug) • Grew cotton for cloth, pottery, and jewelry from seashells • Snaketown-meeting place w/ball courts, dance platforms • Abandoned in 1450-lack of water • “the vanished ones”

7. Mogollons Don’t know what they called themselves-Don Juan Mogollan-Spanish governor of New Mexico in 1700s (Mt. Range) Shelters on high ground & underground Kivas-underground for religious ceremonies & official business New form of pottery-clay bowls w/ geometric designs Carvings-1000s of animals, human faces & masks No other people created so many artistic images

8. Anasazi Master builders “Golden Age” from AD 850-1150 Planned community-roads, ceremonial buildings “wagon wheel”-center was Chaco canyon in New Mexico (even though they didn’t use the wheel) Cliff dwellings-pueblos Signal fires to communicate w/other villages (obsidian rock to reflect message by firelight) 1150 AD-culture vanishes Drought, lack of resources, leaders lost power possibly

9. Woodland Culture East of Mississippi, Great Lakes region, and East Coast Hunter-gatherers Mound builders-burial chambers w/small log rooms Pipes& tobacco & artwork found inside Adena mounds found in Ohio on private property (700 BC-100 AD) Hopewell-mounds found in Ohio in shape of snake Snake mound-curves for a ¼ mile, mouth is swallowing a huge egg Symbol of growth and change Artifacts in mound show trading w/ other cultures

10. Cahokia Illinois-by 1200 AD more than 20,000 people Largest settlement of Mississippians in N. America Located where 3 rivers come together-Mississippi, Missouri, & Illinois Planned city w/ palisade (wooden fence) Mound builders Monk’s mound-found in early 1800s 1500-vanished, unsure why Possibly disease or wars

11. Iroquois Between 1200-1400 AD powerful Woodland culture in upper NY developed Descended from Mississippians 6 tribes create “Great Law of Peace”-democracy Great leaders-Hiawatha & Seneca Famous for important speeches Most powerful Native Americans when Europeans arrive

12. Great Plains • Between Mississippi river & Rocky Mts. • Sioux, Cheyenne, Comanche & Blackfoot • Rode horses while hunting buffalo-after 1500s when horses introduced to N. America by Europeans • Settlements before 1500s near streams or rivers, dome-shaped buildings, farmers mostly

13. Pacific Coast • Abundant natural resources • Salmon, seafood, wildlife, nuts & berries, vegetables • Puget Sound in modern-day Washington state • Cedar-used to store dried foods, houses (longhouses-up to 100 ft.), shoes, tools, clothes, canoes • Potlatch “throw into the air”-celebration where host gave many gifts to guests-only Pacific tribes did this

14. Inuit • Modern-day Alaska & northern Canada • Were called “Eskimo”-eaters of raw meat • Call themselves Inuit-real people • Harsh frozen environment • Igloos-homes of snow • Sea mammals & caribou for food • Art-carvings of soapstone or ivory