Early Native American people

BY: Charlotte Krupa

PALEO

The Paleo were believed to be the first tribe to arrive in North America. They were around from 10,000 to 8,000 B.C. The word Paleo comes from the Greek word meaning “very old.” The Paleo lived in small groups of 25-50 people called bands. They lived in non-permanent pits that were brush covered with hides or bark. Paleo Indians were nomads which meant that they would follow the food they were hunting.

PALEO POINTS

o Clovis Points were used from 11,500 to 10,900 B.C.

o Folsom Points were used from 10,900 to 10,200 B.C.

o Plainview Points were used from 10,200 to 8,000 B.C.

o Carbon 14 dating can not be used on these points

QUICK PALEO FACTS

o Dates:10,000 to 8,000 B.C.

o Weapons: heavy spears with points, atlatl

o Food: large mammals, small game, berries, fruit, vegetables

o Dwellings: non-permanent pits or brush covered with hides or bark

ATLATLThe atlatl was a device used to throw a light-weight spear at animals for food. It made hunt easier and safer because the hunters would not have to get so close to the animal to kill it. No one is so sure when the atlatl was created, but the archaeologists believe it was late Paleo or early Archaic. The oldest atlatl is about 19,000 years old.

Archaic

The Archaic period lasted from 8,000 to 1,000 B.C.E. A fun fact is that during this period, Jesus was born! The word Archaic Because this period lasted so long, it was divided into three sub-periods. The sub-periods were the early archaic period, the middle archaic period, and the late archaic period.

Early Archaic 8,000-6,000 B.C.E.

Semi-nomads

Lived in small clans

Most clans lived by water

The climate started to change and become warmer

The state was covered with oak and hickory trees

Middle Archaic 6,000-2,000 B.C.E.

The climate becomes even warmer

The clans started to migrate west

They still continued to hunt and gather food

Forests started to appear

Less and less nomads

Late Archaic 3,000-1,000 B.C.E.

Continued to hunt and gather food

The clans moved less, so there were some establishments

Spear-points change

They lived by rivers

Clans traded with other clans

The people invented pottery, which was used to store food, water, and was a decoration

Quick Archaic Facts

8,000 to 1,000 B.C.E.

Three sub-periods: Early Archaic, Middle Archaic, Late Archaic

Weapons: spears and atlatl

Food: deer, bear, small game, wild fruits, vegetables, oysters, and shellfish

Dwellings: semi-permanent shelters

Essential Questions

How do we know that Paleo and Archaic people existed in the America’s?

Archaeologists have found buried artifacts and Eco facts in the ground.

Where did the first prehistoric Americans come from and how did they get here?

They crossed over from Asia using Beringia, the land bridge which connects Siberia and Alaska.

Woodland

1,000 B.C.E. to 1,000 A.D.

The population started to grow

Not many nomads left, people began hunting closer and gathering food

Larger tribes began to form

The people began practicing horticulture, which is growing plants

Three sisters

Maize (corn)BeansSquash

Woodland Contributions

The Woodlands created the bow and arrow, which made hunt so much easier.

They did not invent pottery, but they improved it.

The pottery was made stronger, better, and could hold more.

The Woodlands created tops for the pottery, so it would animals and bugs out.

Mounds

Rock Eagle Effigy Mounds: prehistoric animal-shaped mounds made of quartz, shells, and stones located in Puthum county, GA.

Kolomoki Mounds: the largest woodland settlement that contained at least 8 mounds and is located in Southwest GA.

Quick Woodland Facts

Culture: woman held power and the children belonged to the mother

Dates: 1,000 B.C. to 1,000 A.D.

Weapons: bow and arrow

Food: deer, small gam, nuts, seeds, gourds, three sisters

Dwellings: sturdy houses in villages

MISSISSIPPIAN

1,000 to 1,600 A.D.

The people were farmers

They lived in the Southeast

No longer nomads, they created sturdy and permanent homes in villages and hunted small game and ate planted crops.

They lasted until Europeans came along, made contact, and killed them off

CHIEFDOMS, TRADE, AND HORTICULTURE

The Mississippians created a new system called Chiefdoms, which was a small society controlled by a chief who made decisions for the whole tribe.

Trade in that time gave Indians access to new goods. Shale, copper, ceramic, and much more were traded along the east coast.

People who grew specific plants for food were called horticulturists. They were farmers who grew plants and flowers for food and enjoyment.

MISSISSIPPIAN VILLAGES

Village location: always located near water ways

Homes: their homes were circular or rectangular pole structures with roofs covered in hatch with a hole at the top and walls made by canes and covered in clay

Village info: always contained one or more mounds and were protected my surrounding fences

Mounds: used for burial, places of worship, ceremonies, village centers, and religious things

ARTIFACTS

JewelryPotteryOcmulgee moundsEtowah mounds

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MISSISSIPPIANS?

No one is really sure what happened to the Mississippians, nut archaeologists have an estimate of what might have happened. They believe that what happened was the Mississippians were killed off by the Europeans bringing in diseases and weapons.

QUICK MISSISSIPPIAN FACTS

Dates: 1,000- 1,600 A.D.

Government/structure: chiefdoms

Weapons: bow and arrow

Food: mostly vegetarian: three sisters, lots of veggies and fruit, little deer, turkey, and other small game

Dwellings: permanent settlements with wattle and daub houses, fences surrounding villages for protection

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How did the Native American cultures develop prior to European contact?The people developed very well and had good lives until the Europeans came along and killed them off.

What impact did the environment have on the development of prehistoric Native Americans in Georgia? They adapted to warming climates, forests, and lived by waterways.

Bibliography

I got my information from my notes in Mr. Cargill’s class!