America In The Beginning

Who were the first Americans?

How and why did they come here?

30,000 years ago During a period of low temperatures

called an ice ageThe world was covered in glaciers

or sheets of ice.

This caused ocean levels to

drop and expose

land.In the Bering straight a land bridge appeared connecting Siberia (Asia)& The Americas.

This land bridge is known as Beringia.

Animals like mammoths crossed the bridge or migrated to the America's.

Hunter's in Asia who moved from place to place to

find food or nomads followed the mammoths and spread out or migrated to the America's

The ice age ended

warming up glaciers

causing water levels to rise covering up

the land bridge.

Some animals died off like mammoths.

Living in many different parts of the Americas the Natives needed

to adjust or adapt to every

thing in the new surrounds that

made up each of their own

environmentsin order to survive.

What happened when they came to America?

How did they meet their new needs?

America In The Beginning

America In The Beginning

Living in many different parts of the Americas the Natives used the different natural resources in their own different environments for food, clothing, and shelter.

Different groups in different

environments developed their own beliefs and ways of life or

culture. Groups in the same

environments adapted similar life styles, and

language creating cultural region.

Many Native American have these things in common.1. Nature has a spirit & believe in many gods.2. No one can own land.3. Only use what is needed (no waste).4. Trade was important to most societies.

How did Native Americans adjust to the new environments?

What did they have in common?

8 Cultural Regions

North West Coast

California

Plateau

Great Basin

South West

Great Plains

Eastern Woodlands

South East

California

Northwest Coast

Plateau

Great Basin

Plains

Northeast

SouthwestSoutheast

8 Cultural Regions

North West CoastWeather:long cold winterscool summersheavy rainfall

Natural Resources:ocean/beachesthick forests of fir, spruce, and cedarrugged mountainsseafood/salmondeer, moose, bear, elk, beaver, mountain goats

Used cedar canoes to huntsalmon laying eggsused cedar to make rope, mats and basketsshell needles used wedges, sledge hammers, drills, and knifes to carve wooden masksClothing:Cedar water proof clothing like capes withdecorative shell buttons Shelter: lived near the coastCedar Long Houses with cedar bark roofs

CaliforniaWeather: rainy wintershot dry summers

Natural Resources:ocean/coastfoothillsvalley'sdesertsmountainsacorns, oak treesgrass, and plantsredwood trees

salmon/seafood/shellfishdeer, rabbits, ducks, roots berries, pine nuts Used Bows& arrows, snares, and nets, usedtools from antlersClothing:grass/leather aprons and skirtsShelter: Cone shaped made of redwood bark, pole, and reeds woven into mats

Great BasinWeather:little rainhot during the day cold at nightNatural Resources:

mostly dessertlow areas surrounded by mountains at the edgeswith valleys that had seasonal lakes and streams

plants that need little water likegrasses, sagebrush, pinon trees, at the outer edges pine trees, and willow

small animals rabbits, lizards, grasshoppers, snakes sometimes ducks , duck eggs during certain seasons seeds,berries pine nuts, roots, cattail

Tools: water baskets sealed with tree sapFloating duck decoys, nets, sharp sticks, flat baskets for catching seedsClothing: rabbit robes in winterShelter: Nomadic temporary cone shelters of willow, brush and reeds

PlateauWeather:long cold winterscomfortable summers

Natural Resources:mountains with dense forests in areasflatter in the center with drier grass landsrivers

driftwood, mud, dirt,grass and sage brushfish, antelope, deer, seedsonions, carrots, camas roots, salmon

Tools: woven baskets, willow digging sticks, wooden fishing platforms, nets, and spears for salmonClothing: antelope and deer hides leggings, dresses and skirts, woven hats, seed and shell designsShelter: near rivers, partly under ground out of driftwood, mud, sap, and reeds

Great PlainsWeather:cold winters hot summers

Natural Resources:mountains surrounding edgestreeless grasslands in the centereast more water and softer soilwest drier dense grass

Buffalo and smaller animals

Tools: bow made of buffalo tendon, arrows, V shaped stone trap, fire, bone knives, shields, Clothing: Buffalo robes and hidesShelter: Houses called tipis

South WestWeather:high temperatureslittle rain dry/arid

Natural Resources:mountains, canyonsdesserts, flat top mesasrivers, little water

clay, brightly colored plants, cottoncorn, beans, squash, peppers, rabbitsLarge thick walled houses made of bricks of adobe(sun baked clay). Up to 4 stories and had hundreds of rooms. Clothes were made of cotton that they grew. Using plants and minerals, they dyed the fabricLived near naturally flooded areas. Men dug irrigation ditches, and also built dams to hold summer rain. Women spend most the day grinding corn kernels into cornmeal. They used clay pots to cook stews

Eastern WoodlandsWeather:snowy winters , rain

Natural Resources:rivers, ocean/coastlots of lakes and streams

Forests, plants, maple trees, elm,

deer, bears, beavers, birds, fishcorn, sunflowers, tobacco, vegetables,nuts, berriesLong House: Sturdy, log-framed houses covered with elm bark, about 20 feet wide and over 100 feet long. Several related families live in sections of the house.Skirts, capes, and moccasins were made out of deer skins.Women ground corn with wooden sticks .Men often paddled on the rivers and streams in log and bark canoes . They trapped beavers, hunted deer, bear, caught birds, and speared fish. For farming land, men burnt small sections of trees and underbrush. Women did the hoeing and planting. They planted many different types of corn, beans and squash. Made maple syrup and wooden storage canisters.

South EastWeather:long warm humid summersmild winters

Natural Resources:rivers, ocean/coastFertile coastal plainsmountains, swamps

Trees, clay, shells, corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, sweet potatoessquirrels, rabbits, turkeys, deer, alligators, turtles,wild rice, persimmons

Long House: Sturdy, log-framed houses covered with elm bark, about 20 feet wide and over 100 feet long. Several related families live in sections of the house.Skirts, capes, and moccasins were made out of deer skins.Women ground corn with wooden sticks .Men often paddled on the rivers and streams in log and bark canoes . They trapped beavers, hunted deer, bear, caught birds, and speared fish. For farming land, men burnt small sections of trees and underbrush. Women did the hoeing and planting. They planted many different types of corn, beans and squash. Made maple syrup and wooden storage canisters.