America – Its Unique America – Its Unique SettlementSettlement

US History - Libertyville HSUS History - Libertyville HS

Why is America Unique?Why is America Unique?

The landThe land

Its foundingIts founding

Its governmentIts government

Its peopleIts people

Why is America Unique?Why is America Unique?The American PopulationThe American Population

America – a nation of immigrants, from around the America – a nation of immigrants, from around the worldworld

Why is America Unique?Why is America Unique?The American PopulationThe American Population

The Americas – a land of a diverse native populationThe Americas – a land of a diverse native population

““What Are You?”What Are You?” A unique question of A unique question of

Americans – it’s not Americans – it’s not an insult!an insult!• What are you?What are you?

The idea of the The idea of the “hyphenated “hyphenated American”American”• Asian-AmericanAsian-American• African-AmericanAfrican-American• Irish-AmericanIrish-American• And many others!And many others!

What unifies us? What unifies us? We’re all Americans!We’re all Americans!

When and Where did the First When and Where did the First Settlers Come From?Settlers Come From?

Pleistocene Era (Glacial Period), or “Ice Age” – 1 Pleistocene Era (Glacial Period), or “Ice Age” – 1 million to 10,000 BCmillion to 10,000 BC• Age of widely fluctuating climateAge of widely fluctuating climate• Sea levels fell 50 to 300 feet, compared with todaySea levels fell 50 to 300 feet, compared with today• Effect? Broad highway between Asia, North America – Effect? Broad highway between Asia, North America –

Beringian Land Mass stretching from Aleutian Islands to Beringian Land Mass stretching from Aleutian Islands to well into Artic Oceanwell into Artic Ocean

Bering StraitToday

AsiaAmerica / Alaska

Environment and SettlementEnvironment and Settlement Why Did the Ice Age Occur?Why Did the Ice Age Occur?

• Likely cause was increased Likely cause was increased volcanic activityvolcanic activity

• Volcanic ash accumulated in Volcanic ash accumulated in upper atmosphere, lowering upper atmosphere, lowering world tempsworld temps

Most recent glacial Most recent glacial advance = 70,000 years advance = 70,000 years agoago

Wisconsin Ice SheetWisconsin Ice Sheet• As ice sheet advanced As ice sheet advanced

animals were driven before itanimals were driven before it• Into this environment, man Into this environment, man

arrivedarrived

Migration and SettlementMigration and Settlement Man in North America = Homo SapiensMan in North America = Homo Sapiens

• No evidence of fossil apes in W. HemisphereNo evidence of fossil apes in W. Hemisphere• No evidence of primitive man in W. HemisphereNo evidence of primitive man in W. Hemisphere

Significance? Significance?

Migration and SettlementMigration and Settlement How did man arrive in the How did man arrive in the

Americas? He WALKEDAmericas? He WALKED Critical factors of Critical factors of

settlement of Americassettlement of Americas• Ice free corridor from Ice free corridor from

Western Canada into Rocky Western Canada into Rocky Mts, along river valleysMts, along river valleys

• Remember: Americas were Remember: Americas were NOT settled in a short NOT settled in a short amount of time OR by a amount of time OR by a single group of people!single group of people!

• Migration is a SLOW, Migration is a SLOW, PROLONGED SPREAD OF PROLONGED SPREAD OF SUCCESSIVE WAVES OF SUCCESSIVE WAVES OF PEOPLE!!!PEOPLE!!!

Migration pattern fromAfrica through rest of world – colored circles,lines represent approx.time when Man reached those areas

Why Migrate?Why Migrate? Assumption: Man Assumption: Man

immigrated as immigrated as hunters, following hunters, following gamegame

Based on geological Based on geological and archaeological and archaeological evidence, early Man evidence, early Man arrived in America arrived in America around 30,000 around 30,000 years agoyears ago

What did Man Bring With to What did Man Bring With to America?America? Immigrants Immigrants

brought with brought with skills of skills of firemaking, flint firemaking, flint chipping, food chipping, food processing, processing, clothes making clothes making and shelter and shelter constructionconstruction

Environment Environment determines skill determines skill set: if early man set: if early man didn’t have these didn’t have these skills, he’d have skills, he’d have either moved on either moved on or diedor died

Periods of Native American HistoryPeriods of Native American History

First: Paleo Indian (Greek - First: Paleo Indian (Greek - “Ancient”) – from 30,000 to about “Ancient”) – from 30,000 to about 7000 BC7000 BC• First settlersFirst settlers• Hunter gatherersHunter gatherers

Second: Archaic period – from 7000 Second: Archaic period – from 7000 to about 1000 BCto about 1000 BC• Ice sheets retreated, climate changed Ice sheets retreated, climate changed

rapidly to what it is todayrapidly to what it is today• Plant domestication beganPlant domestication began

Periods of Native American HistoryPeriods of Native American History Third: “Woodland Period” Third: “Woodland Period”

– from 1000 BC to 800 AD– from 1000 BC to 800 AD• Agricultural settlements Agricultural settlements

abounded, particularly in abounded, particularly in MidwestMidwest

• Also hunted / gatheredAlso hunted / gathered Fourth: Mississippian Fourth: Mississippian

Period – 1000 to 1700sPeriod – 1000 to 1700s• Cities builtCities built• Extensive trade routesExtensive trade routes• Great agricultural outputGreat agricultural output

Native American DistributionNative American Distribution

Native American tribes covered the AmericasNative American tribes covered the Americas