Bell Ringer

When does the history of the Americas begin?If history happens and no one is around to

record it, does it make a sound?What do you know about early American

history? How do you know it?

CHAPTER 1

Converging CulturesPrehistory to 1520

5 Word Prediction

Arrange the five words below to create a sentence or two that outlines the Asian migration to America.

Artifacts Land Bridge Theory

Nomads Radio carbon dating

Ice Age

CHAPTER 1 SECTION 1

The Migration to America

Clovis Culture

Giant American Bison roamed 13,200 – 12,900 years ago.

Found points like these embedded in the bison!

Suggested that human inhabited the Americas 7,000 years earlier than previously thought.

The Asian Migration to America

When the first Americans appeared remains a hotly debated question. Using DNA, scientist have concluded the earliest

Americans probably came from Asia. Radiocarbon dating- determines how old objects are.

Nomads in search of food likely came to America across a land bridge that connected Asia to Alaska

Homework

Read pg. 18-19 in your textbook, “Land Bridge to America”.

Choose 1 of the routes to America discussed in the reading to conduct further research on and provide the following information:

MIGRATION THEORYPotential Problems with the

TheoryEvidence Supporting Theory

* You may make assumptions about the potential problems they would have faced.

Bell Ringer

What must be present in order for a civilization to exist?

Which characteristic is the most important?Why do some civilizations fail?

Early Civilizations of Mesoamerica

Civilizations began to develop as cultures shifted from nomadic hunters to agriculture. Pumpkins, squash, and

MAIZEThe Olmec civilization

is believed to be the oldest emerging between 1500-1200 B.C. Sophisticated society

with large villages and temples.

The MayansOlmec ideas spread,

influencing other people.

The Mayan culture emerged in the Yucatan peninsula around 200 A.D.

Known for their mathematics and engineering skills.

Fragmented society and exhaustion of resources possibly led to their downfall.

Early Civilizations of Mesoamerica

Toltec emerged and dominated Mesoamerica around 800 A.D.

Master architects known for their use of gold and copper for art and jewelry.

Fell to invaders about 1200 A.D.

Early Civilizations of Mesoamerica

Aztec, formerly known as the Mexica, emerged in the 1300’s.

Thought to have originated from the American southwest.

Established the city of Tenochtitlan, present day Mexico City.

Used military power to create a mighty empire.Ruled through a sophisticated tribute systemPracticed human sacrifices.Fell into decline with the arrival of Europeans.

Bell Ringer: Is Geography Destiny?

North American Cultures

Culture Time Period Characteristics

Downfall

Hohokam

Anasazi

Adena and Hopewell

Mississippian

North American Cultures

Anthropologists believe that the agricultural technology of Mesoamerica spread into the American Southwest and up the Miss. River.

Hohokam Built a civilization in what is now south-central

Arizona from about 300-1300s. Created an elaborate system of irrigation canals.

Anasazi Adena

Between 700 and 900

Present day Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and NM

Lived in pueblos

Mound-building culture.

Originated in the Ohio River Valley and spread to New England Region.

Lasted from 1000 B.C. to A.D. 200

North American Cultures

North American Cultures

Mississippian CultureMaize played a vital

role in their rise along the Miss. R. Valley.

CahokiaMississippian culture

spread along the Missouri, Ohio, Red, and Arkansas Rivers

CHAPTER 1 SECTION 2

Native American Cultures

Bell Ringer

In what ways are we influenced by our environments?

Native American Cultures

Region Groups Environment Ways of Adapting

The West

The Far North

The Eastern Woodlands

Iroquois League

The Iroquoian-speaking peoples included many tribes along what is today New York state: the Huron, Neutral, Erie, Wenro, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk

Lived in kinship groups, or extended families, headed by the elder women of each clan.

Despite their similar cultures, war often erupted among the Iroquoian groups.

Iroquoian League

5 of the nations – the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk - formed an alliance to maintain peace, known as the Iroquois League. Founded by Dekanawidah, a shaman and tribal elder,

and Hiawatha.The five nations agreed to a constitution that

defined how the confederacy worked. Ruling council was made up of 50 chiefs. The women selected the council.

Native American Cultures

Region GroupsWest Zuni Nez Perce

PawneeHopi Yakima KansasApache Ute IowaNavajo Shoshone Sioux

Far North InuitAleut

Eastern Woodlands

Delaware HuronShawnee Erie Cayuga Mohawk

Mapping Early Americans

Task: Create a map that shows the early Native

American settlements in North America. You will make a legend for your map that

identifies agricultural, economic, or cultural forces that were in effect in each civilization.

Early Americans

Procedures:Read Ch. 1 Sec. 2 (pgs. 20-24)Determine the location of each civilization

and whether each civilization was based on hunting, farming, or a combination of both.

Design a legend that will convey the information. Should use colors, symbols, etc.

CHAPTER 1 SECTION 3

African Cultures

West Africa

Between 400s and 1500s, three great empires-Ghana, Mali, and Songhai-rose and fell. Gold and salt trade

Use of camels and the est. of long distance trade routes

Spread of Islam Followers called

Muslims

West African Empires

• Earliest to emerge; Soninke people• Controlled regions trade; grew wealthy from the

gold and salt trade• Allowed mosques to be built

Ghana• Malinke people; Conquered the people of Ghana• Reached its peak under the leadership of Mansa

MusaMali• The Sorko people• Emerged east of the Mali Empire along the

Niger River.• Seized control of the city of Timbuktu making it

a center of trade and learning

Songhai

The Forest Kingdoms of Guinea

Guinea, located in West Africa’s southern coast, had small states and kingdoms because the area was made up of very dense forest.

The Yoruba people of Ife and the Edo people of Benin were hunters, farmers, and traders. Traded surplus food for salt and other goods

Central and Southern Africa

The people of Central and Southern Africa fished, grew wheat, and raised livestock.

Many were matrilineal, lineage or descent was traced through mothers.

Kingdom of the Kongo

Slavery

Slavery existed in African society Most were captured in war.

Most were sold back or absorbed into their new African society but slavery changed when Arabs began to trade for enslaved Africans.

Slaves were acquired to clear land and mine gold.

Europeans used enslaved workers starting in the 1400s to work on sugar plantations off the west coast of Africa.

CHAPTER 1 SECTION 4

European Cultures

Main Idea:The fall of the Roman Empire fragmented Europe. Between 1100 and 1400, several developments helped reunify parts of Europe and encouraged new explorations.

European Society

Europeans were stuck in the Middle Ages, period lasting roughly 500-1400. Trade declined, cities, bridges, and roads fell into

disrepair. Money was in short supply and lawlessness ruled.

The Crusades, which began in 1095, helped get western Europe out of centuries of isolation and encouraged exploration.

The Church promoted stability and order through its own laws and penalties for disobedience.

Causes Effects

The crusades led to an increase in interest in luxury items

Exchange of goods and ideas

Expanding Horizons and European Exploration

Causes Effects

The crusades led to an in interest for luxury items.

Monarchs wanted gold to their rule.

The Renaissance promoted a scientific view of the world.

New technology

Exchange of goods and ideas.

Spread of European disease.

Increased involvement in African slave trade.

Expanding Horizons/European Exploration

New Technologies

The astrolabe used the sun’s position to determine direction, latitude, and local time.

The compassThe caravel was a ship that allowed

explorers to sail long distances in a shorter time.

Portuguese Exploration

Prince Henry of Portugal (Henry the Navigator) Est. an astronomical and geographical

center.Bartolomeu Dias

Reached the southern tip of Africa, Cape of Good Hope.

Vasco de Gama Sailed around Africa to India’s southwest

coast.

CHAPTER 1 SECTION5

Europe Encounters America

The Vikings Arrive in America

Strong archaeological evidence suggest that the Vikings were the first Europeans to come to America.

Around A.D. 1000, Leif Ericsson explored Labrador and maybe Newfoundland.

Early attempts at settlements failed because:1. Native Americans opposed them2. Outnumbered3. Inferior weapons

Spain Sends Columbus West

Ptolemy’s Geography, maps rediscovered.Italian navigator, believed he could find a

trade route from Spain to India.Applies unsuccessfully to Portugal for

financial backing.After six years, Columbus finally convinced

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain he would bring them wealth, empire, and converts to Catholicism.

The First Voyage

Later Voyages

Spain Claims America

Spain and Portugal argue over trade routesTreaty of Tordesillas

Granted Portugal everything east of the Line of Demarcation, an imaginary north-to-south line running down the middle of the Atlantic, and gave everything west of the line to Spain.

Continuing Spanish Expeditions

Juan Ponce de Leon Discovered “land of flowers” known as

FloridaVasco de Balboa

Became the first European to see the Pacific coast

Ferdinand Magellan His crew became the first to

circumnavigate the globe

Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange was a series of societal and environmental between Europe and the Americas.

Study Guide

Reviewing Key Terms, pg 46Identify the following:Native American

Olmec, Aztec, Hohokam, Mississippian, IroquiosAfrican

Soninke, Mansa Musa, Edo, Peoples of Central and South Africa, Akan

European Pope Urban II, Portuguese, Prince Henry the

Navigator, Leif Ericsson, Christopher Columbus

Homework

1. Who were the Americas named for? 2. Who was he?3. Why was America named after him instead

of Columbus or other explorers?