Chapter 1 Section 1: Native American World

Native American Trade

Extensive trade networks existed between North American tribes that stretched across the continent and often times relied upon natural routes such as the Mississippi River or Great Lakes. Examples include The Iroquois bartering fish for tobacco pipes-or goods, like volcanic glass, from the Rockies moving as far east as Ohio.

Settlement of the Americas

We know the earliest Americans probably came from Asia, crossing an exposed "land bridge", that stretched across the Bering Strait during the last ice-age. This land bridge (Berengia) allowed for possible Migration: movement of people for the purpose of settling in a new place. Most experts believe that hunter-gatherers followed large herds of big game animals across the bridge to North America-while others believed human migration may have even occurred 2 to 3,000 years before the land bridge was exposed. Over time human population spread out through the Americas developing distinct languages and customs, until coming into contact with Europeans and Africans just 500 years ago-forever changing their lifestyles. It's believed that by the late 1400s between 8 and 10 million people may have lived in what is today the United States. Other estimates place the number as low as 700,000.

North American Life

1. The North: On the coastal edges of North America lived the Inuit and Aleut. They were skilled at hunting on ice and snow. These groups were nomadic: they hunted, fished, and gathered their food in large forest. 2. The Northwest coast: These groups like the Coos, Coast Salish, Makah, relied heavily on Salmon and remarkable fishing food-storage technologies. Waterways were the primary source of food. 3. California: Included groups like the Chumash, Yurok and other groups who spoke 100 different variations of 20 different languages. Depending on their location, their diets consisted of deep-sea fish, flour from acorns of mountain oaks, or beans from desert mesquite. A few groups along the Colorado even practiced farming. 4. The Plateau: More than two dozen groups inhabited this region such as the Chinook, and Cayuse, who fished for salmon and dug in the plains for edible roots. 5. The Great Basin: Included the Paiute, Ute, and Shoshone, who lived in small groups and hunted and gathered food, including roots, pine nuts, rabbits, and insects. 6. The Plains: In this area consisted the Mandan, Wichita, Pawnee, and other groups who planted corn, beans, and squash. They used dogs as pack animals and traveled great distances hunting vast herds of buffalo, which fulfilled many of their basic needs. 7. The Northeast: Vast woodlands and ample rainfall influenced the way of life in the Northeast. People gathered wild plants, hunted and grew corn and other crops. They fished both fresh and salt water. Warfare was common between the groups until around the 1500s when the Iroquois people developed a friendly confederation made up of the Mohawk, Onieda, Onandaga, Cayuga, and Senaca. Also called the Iroquois Confederacy or the Five nations. 8. The Southeast: It's inhabitants depended on hunting and also growing corn. They knew what plants to use to make rope, medicine, clothing, and even poison to catch fish. After about 800 A.D. the Mississippian culture developed. These tribes shared a common culture and settled in large settlements and built towns made up of several 1000 people. The largest was Cahokia with a population of about 40,000 and more than 60 mounds. In the Cherokee town of Etowah stood a pyramid more than 60 feet high.

Shared and Custom beliefs

Despite their different lifestyle, early Native American peoples held to traditions handed down to them through generations. This shared culture included a common social structure and religion. 1. Social Structure: Native American Societies were not organized according to social classes, location, wealth or age. Instead family relationships, called Kinships, determined the social structure. Native American kinship groups were organized by clans. A clan is made up of groups of families who are all descended from a common ancestor. 2. Religion: Early Native Americans shared the belief that the most powerful forces in the world are spiritual. 3. Preserving Culture: To keep their beliefs and customs alive, early Native Americans relied on oral history-traditions passed from generation to generation by word of mouth.

Native Americans and Land

One Item that was not up for barter was land. Native Americans, in their view did not believe land could be owned.

Setting The Scene

The first people came to the Americas between 30,000 and 15,000 years ago. As new findings emerge estimates continue to change. Studies suggest the climate of southern Alaska was at least fit for humans to live in 40,000 years ago. Plant remains in present day Chile show possible human settlement there some 12,500 years ago. The landscape would have been much different then, with animals like the Mastadon, and saber-toothed tiger roaming North America with animals that today are not extinct like wolves, bison, and reindeer.