America In The Beginning
Who were the first Americans?
How and why did they come here?
30,000 years ago During a period of low temperatures
called an ice age The world was covered in glaciersor sheets of ice.
This caused ocean levels To
decreaseand expose
land.
In the Bering straight a land bridge appeared connecting Asia (Siberia) & the Americas
This land bridge is known as
beringia.
Animals like mammoths crossed the bridge or
migrated to the America's.
Hunter in Asia who moved
from place to place to find
food or nomads
followed the mammoths and spread
out or migrated to
the America's
The ice age ended
warming up glaciers causing
water levels to rise
covering up the land bridge
Some animals died off like mammoths.
Living in many different parts of the Americas
the Natives needed to
adjust or adapt to every thing
in the new surrounds that made up each of their own environment
in order to survive.
What happened when they came to America?
How did they meet their new needs?
America In The Beginning
America In The Beginning
Living in many different parts of the Americas the Natives used the different natural recourses in their own different environments for food, clothing, and shelter.
Different groups in different
environments developed their own beliefs and ways of life or
culture. Groups in the same
environments adapted similar life styles, and
language creating cultural
region.
Many Native American have these things in common.1. Nature has a Spirt & Believe. 2. No one can own land.4. Only use what is needed.
5. Trade was very important to most societies
How did Native Americans adjust to the new environments?
What did they have in common?
8 Cultural Regions
North West Coast
California
Plateau
Great Basin
South West
Great Plains
Eastern Woodlands
South East
8 Cultural Regions
North West Coast Weather:long cold winterscool summersheavy rainfall
Natural Resources:ocean/beachesthick forests of fir, spruce, and cedarrugged mountainsseafood/salmondeer, moose, bear, elk, beaver, mountain goats
Culture descriptionsUsed cedar canoes to huntFenced in salmon laying eggsused cedar to make rope, mats and basketsshell needles used wedges, sledge hammers, drills, and knifes to carve wooden masksClothing:Cedar water proof clothing like capes withdecorative shell buttons Shelter: lived near the coastCedar Long Houses with cedar bark roofs
California Weather: rainy wintershot dry summers
Natural Resources:ocean/coastfoothillsvalley'sdesertsmountainsacorns, oak treesgrass, and plantsredwood trees
salmon/seafood/shellfishdeer, rabbits, ducks, roots berries, pine nuts
Large thick walled houses made of bricks of adobe(sun baked clay). Up to 4 stories and had hundreds of rooms. Clothes were made of cotton that they grew. Using plants and minerals, they dyed the fabricLived near naturally flooded areas. Men dug irrigation ditches, and also built dams to hold summer rain. Women spend most the day grinding corn kernels into cornmeal. They used clay pots to cook stews
Great Basin Weather:little rainhot during the day cold at nightNatural Resources:
mostly dessertlow areas surrounded by mountains at the edgeswith valleys that had seasonal lakes and streams
plants that need little water likegrasses, sagebrush, pinon trees, at the outer edges pine trees, and willow
small animals rabbits, lizards, grasshoppers, snakes sometimes ducks , duck eggs during certain seasons seeds,berries pine nuts, roots, cattail
Used Bows& arrows, snares, and nets, used cooking stones to heat acorn meal tools from antlersClothing:grass/leather aprons and skirtsShelter: Cone shaped made of redwood bark, pole, and reeds woven into mats
Plateau Weather:long cold winterscomfortable summers
Natural Resources:mountains with dense forests in areasflatter in the center with drier grass landsrivers
driftwood, mud, dirt,grass and sage brushfish, antelope, deer, seedsonions, carrots, camas roots, salmon
Long House: Sturdy, log-framed houses covered with elm bark, about 20 feet wide and over 100 feet long. Several related families live in sections of the house.Skirts, capes, and moccasins were made out of deer skins.Women ground corn with wooden sticks .Men often paddled on the rivers and streams in log and bark canoes . They trapped beavers, hunted deer, bear, caught birds, and speared fish. For farming land, men burnt small sections of trees and underbrush. Women did the hoeing and planting. They planted many different types of corn, beans and squash. Made maple syrup and wooden storage canisters.
Great Plains Weather:cold winters hot summers
Natural Resources:mountains surrounding edgestreeless grasslands in the centereast more water and softer soilwest drier dense grass
Buffalo and smaller animals
Tools: water baskets sealed with tree sapFloating duck decoys, nets, sharp sticks, flat baskets for catching seedsClothing: rabbit robes in winterShelter: Nomadic temporary cone shelters of willow, brush and reeds
South West
Weather:high temperatureslittle rain dry/arid
Natural Resources:mountains, canyonsdesserts, flat top mesasrivers, little water
clay, brightly colored plants, cottoncorn, beans, squash, peppers, rabbits
Tools: bow made of buffalo tendon, arrows, V shaped stone trap, fire, bone knives, shields, Clothing: Buffalo robes and hidesShelter: Houses called tipis Culture:
Eastern Woodlands
Weather:snowy winters , rain
Natural Resources:rivers, ocean/coastlots of lakes and streams
Forests, plants, maple trees, elm,
deer, bears, beavers, birds, fishcorn, sunflowers, tobacco, vegetables,nuts, berries
Tools: woven baskets, willow digging sticks, wooden fishing platforms, nets, and spears for salmonClothing: antelope and deer hides leggings, dresses and skirts, woven hats, seed and shell designsShelter: near rivers, partly under ground out of driftwood, mud, sap, and reeds
South East
Weather:long warm humid summersmild winters
Natural Resources:rivers, ocean/coastFertile coastal plainsmountains, swamps
Trees, clay, shells, corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, sweet potatoessquirrels, rabbits, turkeys, deer, alligators, turtles,wild rice, persimmons
Houses were made from strips of young trees woven into a rectangular frame, then plastered with clay. These houses had pointed roofs made of leaves.Towns included many mounds, first mounds were burial sights, but others were larger, and used as platforms for temples. It took many months, even years, to build these mounds, because they moved the dirt 1 basket full at a time.Simple clothing was made of deer skin. Jewelry made of stones, shells, feathers, pearls, bones, and clay. Women used hoes made of stone, shell or animal shoulder blades. Men hunted using small blow guns, and bows and arrows.
trees woven into a rectangular frame, then plastered with clay. These houses had pointed roofs made of leaves.Towns included many mounds, first mounds