Pre Contact Americas

The “United States” before Europeans

Thesis

For thousands of years, migrating peoples have settled the Americas, where their descendants developed complex societies.

Pre-Contact Americas

Terms

Beringia: ice bridge/land bridge?

Nomadic: mobile societies

Mound-builders: culture groups known for mound construction – included Adenas, Hopewells, etc.

Cahokia: major city center of mound builders

Hohokams and Anasazis: SW native peoples

The 4 D’s

Diverse

Dynamic

Developed

Dense

image from diorama at Smithsonian and posted at

neatorama.com

image from associations.missouristate.edu

Mound sites

Mound builders

Adena and Hopewell artifacts

Ohiohistory.orgOhiohistorycentral.org

Hopwell Pottery

images from ohiohistory.org and the National Park Service

Cahokia, pre-contact

image National Park Service

Cahokia

image from National Park Service

image from antiquehelper.com (auction site)

Mississippian Effigy pot

Mississippian pipe

image from ohiohistory.org

Hohokam sites

Hohokam Dancers

image from scottreamusic.com

Anasazi petroglyph

Mesa Verde

images from the National Park Service

Household patterns

Household = microcosm for behavior

Achievements of early cultures

development of: agriculture = larger cities, complex societies Writing = historical record Architecture = large cities, eg. Tenochtitlán

For thousands of years, migrating peoples have settled the Americas,where their descendants developed complex societies.

The varied landscapes of North America encouraged the diversity of Native American cultures.

Agriculture led to complex societies.

Many modern Native American groups maintain ancient customs of their respective cultures.

Europeans encountered a rich, varied set of cultures throughout N. America

MAIN IDEASMAIN IDEAS WHY IT MATTERSWHY IT MATTERS

Review:

Eastern WoodlandsLonghouses

Interaction patterns

Exploration Gathering – fish, timber, salt, etc. Barter/Plunder – trade with natives

D.W

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Interaction patterns

Outpost – build commercial exchange Imposition – permanent residents Plantation – European culture, law, etc.

Abenaki Clothes 1700 and up

Deerfield Raid Page

Abenaki interior New England culture

VT Folk life center Malian's Song

D.W

. Meinig

, The S

haping of A

merica

Natives