Prehistoric Native Americans

1. Prehistoric Native Americans August 12, 2013

2. Introduction • Long before Europeans ever arrived in North America, Native American tribes lived here • The earliest known group can be traced back tens of thousands of years. • Much of what we know about these groups is discovered using artifacts, such as pottery and weapons, because they kept no written records of their civilization. • Prehistory: the time before written records

3. Paleo Period • This is the earliest known culture • Lasted until about 10,000 years ago • Most of their tools were made of stone • These people were nomadic (moved around) and followed their food source • Often a large herd of animals • They lived in groups of about 25 to 50 people • Only a few Paleo sites have been found in Georgia

4. Archaic Period • Divided into 3 parts: • Early • Middle • Late • Each is characterized by different foods, tools, living habits

5. Early Archaic Period • Lasted from about 8000 BCE to 5000 BCE • As large animals slowly became extinct, people began hunting smaller animals, like deer and turkeys • Invented useful items made from deer antlers, such as drills and chipping tools • People probably moved with the seasons, following food sources

6. Middle Archaic Period • Lasted only about 1000 years, from around 5000 BCE to 4000 BCE • The temperatures became warm and dry, causing water sources to dry up • People probably began to fish around this time period • They also stayed in one place for longer time periods as food became easier to get

7. Late Archaic Period • Lasted from about 4000 BCE to 1000 BCE • Invented the axe to clear trees and bushes around campsites • Also saved seeds to plant in the next growing season • This is believed to be the beginning of farming • It is believed that villages were more permanent than in any other previous time period • This group also learned to make and use pottery which changed the way food was prepared

8. Woodland Period • Developed around 1000 BCE and lasted until about 1000 CE • This is believed to be the beginning of small groups forming large tribes • Developed the bow and arrow to hunt, and also grew squash and greens to eat • Religious ceremonies also began during this time, including burying the dead in cone-shaped burial mounds

9. Mississippian Period • Started about 700 CE • People grew most of their food, including corn, beans, and pumpkins • They dressed differently, adding beads and feathers, and also tattooing their bodies • Several thousand families may have lived in a single settlement • About 1600 CE, people left the villages for unknown reasons, and the culture died out

10. Questions: • 1) What is the earliest known prehistoric Native American group? • 2) Of what material were most of the tools of the Paleo people made? • 3) What are the 3 classifications of the Archaic period? • 4) What type of animals were hunted during the Early Archaic period? • 5) During which period did people begin to fish? • 6) What group is believed to have started farming? • 7) During which period did the bow and arrow come into use? • 8) Which period saved seeds to use for planting? • 9) Who were the first people to use burial mounds? • 10) Which group was the first to tattoo their bodies?