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Earliest Americans

Earliest Americans. The 1 st Migration. During last Ice Age water was frozen & sea levels low Exposed land bridge between Asia and Alaska over the Bering Strait 1 st Native Americans who crossed were nomads and hunter-gathers – followed herds for hunting

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Earliest Americans

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  1. Earliest Americans

  2. The 1st Migration • During last Ice Age water was frozen & sea levels low • Exposed land bridge between Asia and Alaska over the Bering Strait • 1st Native Americans who crossed were nomads and hunter-gathers– followed herds for hunting • Spread out all over N and S America

  3. Hunted woolly mammoths, mastadons, ran from saber-tooth tigers • Sharpened rocks and bones for spears • Used all parts of animal- skin, meat, bones • Ice age ends and large animals die out, sea covers the land bridge

  4. Settling Down • NA’s begin to hunt small animals and crops, maize (early version of corn) • Allowed them to stay in one place • Form villages, turn into civilizations • Create culture and religion • Several large civilizations develop before Europeans get here

  5. The Maya • Farmers in rainforest of central America • Built flat top pyramids of stone in center of each city– used for religious ceremonies • Largest was at Tikal • Believe in many gods that controlled all things, priests ruled– theocracy

  6. Skilled in astronomy and math • Created 365 calendar and hieroglyphic writing system • Empire suddenly declined– unknown what happened • Many think soil wore out, slave revolt, aliens? • Calendar ends 12-2012– end of world scare?

  7. The Aztec • Centuries after Mayans • Wandering hunters in central Mexico • Saw religious symbol (eagle on cactus with snake in mouth) told them to stop wandering • Large island in center of lake– built the city of Tenochtitlan

  8. Tenochtitlan– huge city with canals, paved roads, 3 draw bridges and floating gardens • Military people, conqueror surrounding tribes, used as slaves and human sacrifice– sun god

  9. The Inca • Largest of the 3, same time as Aztec • Andes mountains of S. America • Capital of Cuzco • Captured others and made part of empire • Farming on sides of mountains-- terraces

  10. Huge army, clubs, spears, spiked balls on ropes • All controlled by emperor, thought to be descendant of sun god • Temples lined with gold– sun god • Miles of paved roads and rope bridges, used runners to communicate messages

  11. The Hohokam • Present day Arizona, earlier than Aztec/Inca • Experts at using water/irrigation in the desert • Stone and pottery, traded with Pacific Coast

  12. The Anasazi • Four corners region of southwest US • Stone dwellings called pueblos, built like apartments • Cliff dwellings– Mesa Verde, Colorado • Were abandoned, no one knows why

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