Section 1: The Earliest Americans

1. Chapter Summary Section 1: The Earliest Americans Scientists have two theories about how the earliest people came to the Americas: the land bridge theory and the coastal route theory. Early people, who were at first hunter-gatherers, eventually began farming. This led to the development of civilizations, including the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations.

2. Chapter Summary (continued) Section 2: Cultures of North America Around 3,000 years ago, groups of Native Americans began to emerge in North America. Scholars classify Native Americans into several culture areas: some hunted and gathered, others farmed, and all traded. Their ways of life depended on the climate and geography of the regions in which they lived.

3. Chapter Summary (continued) Section 3: Trade Networks of Asia and Africa By the 1500s, a global trading network linked Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Silk Road, one of the great trade routes of ancient times, stretched 5,000 miles from China to Persia. As merchants traveled, they carried their cultures with them.

4. Chapter Summary (continued) Section 4: The European Heritage European beliefs and values were influenced by the Judeo-Christian tradition, while European political traditions were shaped by the democracy of ancient Greece and the republic of ancient Rome. The Crusades, the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the age of exploration all had profound effects on Europe and on the future United States.

5. Channel Awesome Roots of the American People: Music Video

6. Chapter Review QuickTake Test Know It, Show It Test