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Artist’s rendering of Paleo-Indian artifacts, about 10,000 B.C.–8,000 B.C.

The First People of North America10,000 B.C. – A.D. 1500

Humans develop civilizations across the continent, including what is now Georgia.

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The First People of North America10,000 B.C. – A.D. 1500

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

The First People in America

The Development of the Mississippian Culture

Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole

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Section 1

The First People in America Ancient peoples come from Asia to the Americas and over time develop complex civilizations.

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Prehistoric Cultures

The First People in America

Studying the Past• Archaeologists are scientists who study artifacts• Artifacts—objects from past that shed light on

prehistoric cultures• Prehistoric—time before written history• Culture—shared ways of daily life: arts, beliefs,

customs• Scientists disagree on dates of prehistoric cultures• Agree on order of cultures and their characteristics

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1

Continued . . .

Image

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Archaeological Areas in Georgia• Three archaeological areas in Georgia help us

study early cultures:• Ocmulgee National Monument at Macon• Etowah Mounds Archaeological Area at

Cartersville• Kolomoki State Park near Blakely

continued Prehistoric Cultures

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The Paleo-Indian Period

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Earliest Humans in North America• Paleo-Indian period 10,000 years ago, Ice Age

glaciers melting• Paleo-Indians adapt to cooler, wetter climates• Used spears to hunt big game: woolly mammoths,

bison, moose• Lead nomadic lives—moving from place to place to

hunt• Big game becomes extinct; Paleo-Indian way of life

ends• No settlements found in Georgia, but “Clovis” spear

point found

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Georgia’s First Culture• 8000 B.C. forests replace open land of Ice Ages, big

game disappears• Archaic Indians descend from Paleo-Indians• In eastern U.S. 8000 B.C.–1000 B.C.; perhaps

Georgia’s first culture- improve hunting, gathering techniques; grow

some crops- live in pithouses, rock shelters; build villages,

trade- did not have bows, arrows, farming, well-

developed pottery

The Archaic Period

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The Woodland Period

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Early Agriculture• Woodland Indians—1000 B.C.–800 A.D.,

following Archaic Period• Develop farming, clear fields, plant crops; store

excess food

Settlements• Villages along stream valleys; protective walls

around villages

Hunting• Develop bows and arrows, single hunter can now

hunt deer

Continued . . .

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Mounds• Burial sites in shape of objects, animals; artifacts

buried with dead• 1500s—Woodland Indians, Mississippians first to

greet explorers

continued The Woodland Period

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At the time of Europeans’ arrival, complex cultures occupied the land that became the United States.

Section 2

The Development of the Mississippian Culture

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Improved Agriculture

The Development of theMississippian Culture

Mississippian Culture• Mississippian culture begins along Mississippi,

Ohio River valleys- stretches from Georgia north to Minnesota; west

into Great Plains- many sites along Georgia rivers

• Fertile river soil allows new crops of corn and beans from Mexico

• Corn, squash, beans main staples - beans provide protein without hunting animals;

feed more longer

Map

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A More Complex Culture

Civilizations Develop• Missisippians develop 5 characteristics of

civilization:- cities as trade centers- specialized jobs- organized government, religion- record keeping- advanced tools

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Continued . . .

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Temple Mounds• Missisippian culture has true towns—social,

political, economic hubs• Towns have 1–20 flat-topped temple mounds

- earthen, with ramps leading up one side- ceremonial structures, public buildings built on

top• Mississippian structures, crops similar to those in

Mexico, Guatemala- indicates contact with Mexican and

Guatemalan cultures

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continued A More Complex Culture

Continued . . .

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Mississippian Societies• Divided into social hierarchies, or levels of

importance- heredity and bravery in war may increase

importance• Used war to gain, defend territory• Artifacts: stone axes, bowls, pipes; pottery shows

Mexican influence• Common designs: sunburst, weeping eye,

arrows, cross, eye in hand- designs are records of Mississippian beliefs,

practices

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continued A More Complex Culture

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The End of the Mississippian Culture

Sites Abandoned• Europeans meet Mississippians upon landing in

North America• Entire towns abandoned as early as 1540;

several theories why:- overcrowding, disease- rulers lost power, tightly organized societies

unraveled• Anthropologists study humans via culture,

environment, human remains- human bones at Mississippian sites suggest

tuberculosis, parasites

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Section 3

Creek, Cherokee, andSeminole The Creek culture is the dominant culture when Europeans arrive in what is now Georgia.

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From Mississippian to Creek

Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole

Creek Ancestry• “Five Civilized Tribes” descend from Mississippian

Culture:• Creek, Cherokee, Seminole, Choctaw, Chickasaw • A.D. 100–1000 Creek migrate from Mississippi

Valley to Chattahoochee• Most Georgia groups from same culture, speak

Muskhogean• Mississippian chiefdoms band together to form a

confederacy• Creek Confederacy—Southeast’s largest group;

occupy most of Georgia

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Creek Culture

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Creek Towns• 7,000–8,000 Creek in 50–80 towns; divided into

Upper, Lower Creek- twice as many Upper Creek as Lower Creek

• “Creek” is English name for group on Ochese Creek (Ocmulgee River)

• Town centers used for political, ceremonial functions

• Chakofa community houses contain ceremonial fires- Creek leaders meet here in cold months

Map

Continued . . .

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Creek Towns • Most Creek live in large family compounds

- near town center or along waterways- have clusters of gardens, fields, buildings

• Compounds owned by family, including all members of a clan

• Clan—group of people with common ancestor• Creek are matrilineal—ancestry traced through

mother’s family

continued Creek Culture

Continued . . .

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Creek Government• Creek towns are groups of farming communities• Chief governs; position usually inherited, always

from specific clan• Group of town council elders advise chief

continued Creek Culture

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Creek Religion• Green Corn ceremony is most significant festival

- thanks for new crop; celebration of town history, light council fire

• Fire, corn symbols of life, health, happiness, friendship, kinship

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The Cherokee

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Cherokee Culture• Cherokee migrate to Georgia from North

Carolina in 1700s• Similar to Creek culture: matrilineal, Green Corn

ceremony, towns

Continued . . .

Maintaining Balance• Believe world must remain in balance, otherwise

disasters occur• Green Corn rituals focus on harmony, order,

cleansing- broken items discarded, unhappy marriages

dissolved, wrongs forgiven• Women farm, make goods; men hunt; deer most

important game

Image

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Cherokee Government• Differs from Creek; no chiefs, national council

until 1700s• Town council meetings run democratically

- people debate issues, reach agreement- women, men both have say

• War most important issue debated - wage war only to pay back enemies, not for

land

continued The Cherokee

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The Seminole

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Seminole Culture• Another descendent of Mississippian culture• Most live in what is now Florida, some in Georgia• Seminole culture similar to Creek, speak

Muskhogean language• Europeans called them Seminole—from native

word for “free people”

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