Prehistoric Cultures of Prehistoric Cultures of the North American the North American

Continent Continent

100,000 Years Ago100,000 Years Ago

Prehistoric people crossed to North America Prehistoric people crossed to North America from Siberia along the Beringia land bridge from Siberia along the Beringia land bridge during the last of the Ice Ages (10,000-during the last of the Ice Ages (10,000-40,000 years ago)40,000 years ago)

Paleo-IndiansPaleo-Indians relied on hunting and gathering for relied on hunting and gathering for

subsistence and traveled in small, mobile, subsistence and traveled in small, mobile, kin-based groups of people who lived and kin-based groups of people who lived and foraged togetherforaged together

Agricultural RevolutionAgricultural Revolution

• As the Ice Age ended the climate grew As the Ice Age ended the climate grew warmer, many of the Ice Age animals warmer, many of the Ice Age animals had been hunted to extinction. Forcing had been hunted to extinction. Forcing inhabitants to find new food sources inhabitants to find new food sources

• 7,000 – 10,000 years ago the Native 7,000 – 10,000 years ago the Native Americans began to grow crops (corn, Americans began to grow crops (corn, beans, and squash), and domesticate beans, and squash), and domesticate animals (sheep, goats, pigs)animals (sheep, goats, pigs)

MoundbuildersMoundbuilders agriculturalists who built great cities agriculturalists who built great cities

and impressive earthen mounds and impressive earthen mounds ex. Cahokia Mounds State Park in ex. Cahokia Mounds State Park in

IllinoisIllinois

MoundbuildersMoundbuilders

MoundbuildersMoundbuilders

lived from the Atlantic, the Midwest lived from the Atlantic, the Midwest and the Ohio Valley to the Mississippi and the Ohio Valley to the Mississippi Valley. Valley.

Most advanced farming society north Most advanced farming society north of Mexicoof Mexico

Southwestern IndiansSouthwestern Indians

major farming complexes which relied to major farming complexes which relied to some extent on irrigation some extent on irrigation

Southwestern IndiansSouthwestern Indians Hohokam- Desert Canals and Mesa Grande Hohokam- Desert Canals and Mesa Grande

Ruins Ruins

Key Question:Key Question:

How were the Paleo-Indians, the How were the Paleo-Indians, the Moundbuilders, and Southwestern Moundbuilders, and Southwestern Indians different? similar? Explain.Indians different? similar? Explain.

European ColonizationEuropean Colonization