America Before 1500Native American Civilizations

Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters. -African Proverb

North and South America Before 1500

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The First People in America

Early Native

American

Societies

Sedentary(Aztecs/Inca/

Mya)

Nonsedentary

Semisedentary

Early Societies/Civilizations

Nonsedentary Semisedentary(Iroquois)

Sedentary (Inca/Mya/Aztecs)

Hunter gatherers Mix of farming and hunting/gathering

Large-scale farming

Nomadic; follow food supply

Nomadic; follow food supply

Permanent cities/villages with roads, markets, and houses

Small populations/villages(<100)

Bigger populations/villages(hundreds-thousands)

Huge populations(millions)

No political leaders, laws, taxes

Some leadership to enforce laws and taxes

Powerful tribal leaders create laws, taxes

3 societies compared and contrasted

Some of the most complex and advanced cultures of the Americas, and for that matter in the world, developed in Mesoamerica.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mesoamerican Indians were the first to cultivate: corn, Irish potato, sweet potatoes, manioc, several varieties

of beans, squash, pumpkins, peanuts, tomatoes, chocolate, rubber, long staple cotton, tobacco, and the use of rubber.

Mesoamerica

Location of Aztecs and Mayans in Mesoamerica

Inca Empire

Native American Culture Regions

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson would later praise the Iroquois League and model some of our government after theirs.

Iroquois League

Before 1500, many early civilizations died off due to disease, natural disasters, and war among tribes.

Example: Maya tribe ruled Mesoamerica from A.D. 250-900. Very advanced/complex empire but mysteriously vanished.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Early Civilizations Decline

After migrating to the Americas in 35,000 B.C., Native Americans from 35,000 B.C. to 1500 A.D. developed complex civilizations. But, none of these civilizations, even the most advanced ones such as the Incas and Aztecs, were as advanced as European empires such as France, Spain, and England. Native Americans had no idea about European culture, technology, warfare, or disease. They would soon find out beginning in 1492.

Summing Up and Looking Forward

Mesoamerica migration sedentary, nonsedentary, and semisedentary Mya, Inca, and Aztec tribes Culture regions Eastern Woodlands and Mississippi River Valley

Tribes Great Plains Native American Region Southwest Native American Region Northwest Native American Region http://www.flashcardmachine.com/1987842/9n5x

Key Terms From This Lesson