Essay About Native Americans And Hunter Gatherers

Native Americans
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Native Americans had no knowledge of light skinned Europeans or dark skinned Africans.
About 40 million Native Americans lived in Mesoamerica.
About 15 million lived in present day U.S. or Canada.
Lifestyles consisted of either hunter gatherers, agriculture or under rule by warrior-kings and priests.
Land bridge between Siberia and Alaska (During Ice Age).
In 3000 BC Native Americans planted beans, squash, corn and etc.
The agricultural surplus laid a foundation for permanent societies in Mexico, Peru and Mississippi River Valley.
Mayas- Built large religious centers, urban communities with water irrigation systems.
“City of Tikal” had religious and artistic traditions related to the Olmec Civilization from 7000 BC.
Created calendar recording historical events and predicted eclipses.
Developed Hieroglyphic writing.
Maya civilization declined in 800 AD.
Lasted until 1520s invasion.
Aztecs- Took over Teotihvcan Empire and expanded it.
Established a hierachal social order.
Priests and warrior nobels ruled over Aztec land.
Merchants creating trading routes and imported furs, gold and textiles.
Incas- set up an empire along the western coast of South America.
Indians of the North- Composed of small clans or groups of related families that had a common identity,
Advanced farming technology of Mesoamerica spread into the Mississippi River Valley.
created ceremonial and urban sites.
Chaco Canyon became center of trade.
Women adapted to horticulturists.
Natchez (Mississippian Area) uprising against French invaders failed because the Europeans were too well positioned to overcome.
In new societies, race became a prime factor to determine peoples status and lives.
Traditional European Society-
After the fall of the Roman Empire, a vicious epidemic, Black Death killed one third of its people.
Areas of the world were expanding their seaborne trade.