PREHISTORIC CULTURES: 30,000 B.C- 1500 A.D.

Native Texans: Chapter 2

FIRST PEOPLE IN THE AMERICAS First people arrived to

North America at least 30,000 year ago during the Ice Age

People believed to have cross the land bridge known as Beringia (current day Bering Straight between Arctic and Pacific Ocean.

Columbus landed in the Caribbean in 1492 assuming that he had reached islands off the coast of India, thus naming the native peoples “Indians”

Descendants of Prehistoric peoples spread out across the Americas creating 100’s of different groups or tribes.

Many Native Texan groups are descendants or Prehistoric People.

HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT PREHISTORIC PEOPLE??

1. Artifacts- remains of items or objects from the past

2. Archeologists- scientist who study and learn about past cultures from artifacts they find

3. Pictographs and Petroglyphs- Drawings or paintings in caves & carvings on rocks

PALEOLITHIC ERA PEOPLE IN TEXAS (30,000- 6000 B.C.)

Location: High Plains of Texas

Panhandle Edwards Plateau

Tools Spears tipped with

Flint Stone Built corrals to trap

bison

Food Game- Bison, buffalo,

Dried Meat, Animal Fat, Berries, Pemmican

Way of Life Lived in small bands Hunter Gatherers Traveled on Foot

ARCHAIC ERA PEOPLE IN TEXAS ( 6000 B.C. – 1400 A.D.: AFTER ICE AGE)

Location: East Texas North of Mexico

Food Fish, Wild Plants,

Trapped Small Animals, Buffalo

Tools Atlatl- hand held spear

thrower. 2 ft long with a wooden hook.

Flint Knives, scrapers and awls, grind stones, woven baskets

Way of Life Smaller bands, lived in

villages Formed larger bands during

growing seasons Planters/Hunters-Gatherers

LATE PREHISTORIC PEOPLE IN TEXAS

Location: East Texas Far West Texas Panhandle & Central

Texas

Food Self Grown Plants Game- Buffalo

Tools Bow and Arrow Pottery and Clay Pots

Way of Life Permanent villages Had societies and religions Traveled by foot Planters/Hunters-Gatherers