Amerind History and CultureA Brief Overview of Pre-Columbian

America

I. Native American Land Wisdom

Myth or reality?

Is this history?

A. Why consider them?

1. European survival

2. Confluence of environment and culture

B. Who were they?1. Early guesses (Jose de Acosta)

2. Pleistocene Epoch migration (30,000-15,000 BC)

C. Clovis Technology

1. 12,000-8,000 BC

2. Global technology

II. Development of Regional Cultures

Climate change

over-hunting

“Pleistocene Overkill”

A. Climatic diversification

1. Folsom technology cooperative hunting

2. Desert culturelimited nomadism

3. Forest efficiencyhunt, gather, burn

B. Agriculture1. 7,000-5,000 BC (late but independent)

disadvantages of nomadism

2. Agriculture breeds complexity

pop. Growth

tribal organization

urbanization

gender roles: production & reproduction

3. 1200 AD, Anasazi culture (sw)

4. Mississippian culture (mound builders)

Cahokia (1200 AD, 30,000 people)

ecological instability

III. The Americas on the eve of colonization

In 1492…

- 2000 distinct cultures in the West. Hem.

- 60m people?

Aztecs dominate Mexico

Incas dominate South America

North America

Southwest - Pueblos, Pimas

Southeast - Creek, Choctaw, Cherokee

Northeast - Iroquois Confederacy (Oneida, Mohawk, Cayuga, Seneca)

combined farming w/ hunting? Easy targets?