US HISTORY: UNIT 1

1. US HISTORY: UNIT 1 Early Years of the United States

2. The Americas • The Americas Always Existed • People have lived on them as early as 30,000 -10,000 years ago.

3. How did People Get Here? • We trace some of the earliest civilizations to Africa and the Middle East. • All people need two major things to survive • Food and Water • These early people were hunter-gatherers • They relied on animals to feed their families

4. A Nomadic People • Animals Move. • If Temperatures change these animals need to move to more food. • These earliest settlers, who need the animals to Survive, also need to move with the animals

5. The Ice Age • Earth goes through cycles • Several Ice Ages • Most recent Ice Age occurred sometime between 100,000 and 10,000 years ago • Glaciers formed covering almost 1/3 of the Earth • Thick ice sheets

6. Oceans freeze • When the Ocean water freezes the water level drops, exposing more land than we see now.

7. Bering Land Bridge • Most scientist believe that Hunter gatherers tracked animals across this exposed land bridge leading them to the American Continents.

8. The Spreading of Early People • Once the earliest settlers made it here they spread out and create a number of different cultures across the continent. • From woodlands, to deserts, to plains, and rainforest, there is evidence of early civilizations and cultures in all of these areas.

9. The Ice Age Ends • As Temperature increases the civilizations adapt to changing conditions • Large animals die out • Hunt smaller animals, fish, gather berries, nuts, and grains • Grow crops • 5,000 years ago civilizations in central America, • Corn, beans, squash • Building permanent buildings, cities, civilizations, and cultures. • Growing food =growing populations

10. The Earliest Civilization OLMEC Mayas Aztecs Incas

11. Developed the earliest known civilization in Mesoamerica around 1200 BC Lived in Central America in the lowlands along the Gulf of Mexico Olmec

12. Created First Pyramids in the Americas • Carved Huge stone heads out of rock • Some as tall as 10 feet and weighing several tons. Great Stone Carvers

13. Influenced by the Olmecs • Grew crops (Maize) • Grew in size to large cities by 200 AD • Covered Southern Mexico and Guatemala Maya

14. Cleared Rainforest and Drained Swamps to create farmland. Large Harvests allowed for multiple cites and a vast trade network Built a system of roads to connect the many large cities Farming and trade

15. Large Cities with Large Temples and Pyramids • Stadiums for sporting events • Early form of Basketball? • Large paved plazas • Bridges • Canals • Most Famous Mayan cities include • Chichen Itza • Palenque • Tikal Mayan Cities

17. 98 Ft tall 9 square terraces Stairways on all four sides The north stairway has serpent heads at the base of the stairs On the equinox the north west corner cast a triangular shadow on west side that resembles a snake going down the pyramid

18. Developed long after the Mayan cities were abandoned • 1300s Aztecs settled around Lake Texcoco • Built Causeways for access • Raised roads. AZTEC

19. Filled in Lake with land to create farmland • Floating Farmland • Reed Mats attached to the lake bottom with stakes and piled mud on. • chinampas Aztec Farming

20. Priests had control similar to Mayan • Though Aztecs had an ultimate emperor • Created accurate calendar • Sun God • “Warriors of the Sun” • Believed that Sun required human sacrifice in order to rise each day • Thousands were sacrificed to please sun god. Aztec Religion

21. By 1500, ruled from gulf to pacific • Population in the Millions • Ruled by emperor • High taxes • Sacrifices • Led to revolts • Enemies of Aztecs helped Spanish conquer Powerful Empire

22. Far to the South in Peru and South America Largest empires in Americas 2,500 miles INCA

23. Built in the High Andes Mountains. • Kingdom of large mountain cities • Population about 12 million at height • Emperor kept tabs on all people • Road system • Bridges • Runners • Quipu Mountainous People

24. Cuzco • Massive stone temples • Intricate palaces and carvings Emperor Ruled from Capital City

25. Pachacuti Cuzco

26. Machu Picchu • Believed to be built as a home for Pachacuti Lost City of Inca

29. Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Inca were located in Mesoamerica. • Cultures existed in North America • Influenced by Mesoamerican Cultures • Farming Native American Cultures

30. Early Farming Culture in North America • Four Corners Region of North America • Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona • Grew Maize, Beans, Squash • Used Irrigation to increase food supply • Woven Baskets to store the food Anasazi

31. Early Anasazi lived in Pit Houses • Holes dug into the ground with sticks or leaves on top • Built Pueblos • Houses made of heavy clay – adobe • Houses stacked on top of each other • Some Buildings could house 1000 people Anasazi- Where they Lived

33. Eastern part of North America • After 1000 BC • The Hopewell • Mississippi • Ohio • Lower Missouri • Large Population supported by Farming • Built Burial mounds to Honor Dead • Similar to Mayan or Aztec Temples • Large Mounds with Flat tops and topped by temples. The Mound Builders

34. Grew in same area after Hopewell culture declined in 700 AD. • Built large Agricultural based settlements • Largest Settlement was CAHOKIA. • Near St Louis • 30,000 People The Mississippians

35. Mississippians build Hundreds of Mounds for Religious Ceremonies • 100 Temples and Burial Mounds in Cahokia • Flat topped • Monks Mound • Near Illinois • 100 ft tall and Covered 16 Acres Mounds

37. More Cultures built these Mounds around the North East • 10,000 Mounds in Ohio River Valley • Shaped like Birds and Snakes • Cultures declined by the Time Europeans Arrived • No longer existed by 1700 AD More Mounds

38. Arctic and Subarctic areas • Not much can grow because of Permafrost. • Home to Two Major Culture Groups • The Inuit and the Aleut North and Northwest Culture Area

39. Dogrib Montagnais Kwakiutl Chinook Subarctic Cultures Followed Migrating deer for food Lived where fish plants and game animals were abundant No Need to Farm

40. California Coast between Pacific Ocean and Sierra Nevada • Farming not necessary • Acorns to grind to flour • Fishing and Deer Hunting • Groups of Family 50 -300 • Groups include Hupa (Northern Cali) and Yokuts (Southern Cali) California Region

41. Area between Rockies and Sierra Nevada range. • Dry, Little Rain • Gathered Nuts and Seeds and Roots • Hunted Small Animals • Mountain Sheep and rabbits • Mobile people with few possessions • Main Groups were Utes, Paiutes, Shoshone • Spoke same language The Great Basin Region

42. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas • Dry climate, • Similar to Anasazi, They Irrigated for Farming • Grew Maize • Religion focused on Rain and Maize • Also Built Adobe houses, and buildings • Made fine pottery and paitings. • Hopi, Navajo, Apache Southwest Region

43. Middle of Country from Canada to Texas • Between Mississippi and Rockies • Grassland home to Buffalo, Deer and Elk • Home to a number of Nomadic Hunters • Bow Hunting and Spears • Plains Cultures include Pawnee, Blackfoot, and Arapaho. Great Plains

44. From Mississippi east to Atlantic • Rivers and fertile soil • Great for farming • Most lived in farming villages • Governments were lead by village councils • North East: • Hunting and Gathering • South East • Farming and Hunting and Gathering East

45. Farming Based Society Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole Used a string of beads called Wampum for Money South East

46. Great Lakes and New England Area Hunting and Gathering societies Most well know because colonist dealt with these groups first. Algonquain, Iroquois, kickapoo North East

47. Lived in Clans • Families • Link to Nature • Everything has a spirit • Spirit Ceremonies • Prayed for harvests, rain, and protection to spirits • Property • Ownership of land does not exist • You own the crop, not the land • Land should be preserved for future Generations • Different view than Europeans Shared Beliefs

48. Even with shared beliefs they never united to form large political units Did not form large Empires. Not United