America, home to some of the most beautiful sites in the world. It diverse land with tall mountains, bountiful forests, and arid deserts. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, Native Americans inhabited every region from the Arctic to the tip of South America. Some nations could be very powerful. They constructed giant temples to worship their gods and even sacrificed thousands of people. Others lived nomatically throughout the vast lands of the Americas. Some nations were peaceful while others waged wars of mass destruction. Though many of these great nations are gone, they live on through their beautiful art, impressive architecture, and rich culture. [Music] Around 20,000 years ago, it is believed the first men crossed into the Americas. They walked across a stretch of land called the Bearing Land Bridge. This land was not some small ice bridge, but rather a very large stretch of land inhabited by many different animals. These men not only lived in this land, but also crossed into the Americas. It was not a single event, but rather multiple waves of different ethnic groups immigrating over thousands of years. Though the first men came across around 20,000 years ago, widespread evidence did not appear until around 12,000 years ago. The Swan Lake archaeological site in East Central Alaska contains evidence of inhabitants as early as 14,500 years ago. Evidence of fire pits have been found, as well as many artifacts. Over the thousands of years the site was inhabited, remains such as elk, bison, mammoth, and moose can be found. Stone tools are also abundant, including complex bfacial blades and the tools that they used to make them. These people were expert survivors and craftsmen. They created deadly hunting tools out of materials in their environment to take down very large game. The multiple waves of people who moved through this site and many other sites in Alaska show us that it was not one group of people, but many ethnically diverse people who made the journey to America. It was different tribes and clans moving across a land mass that has never been inhabited by humans or apes of any kind. This was the first time an animal of our taxonomic family entered this untouched Garden of Eden. These people would rapidly spread out through the United States and develop their own unique cultures and massive empires. Most Native American cultures have long forgotten the days when they crossed over into the continent. The Navajo believed that their ancestors came out of the ground. Many other cultures had origin stories involving coming out of caves or springs. The America these early settlers inhabited is much different than the modern America. Glaciers covered many northern regions of the continent and the flora and fao were much different. Terrifying beasts roam the land such as the giant short-faced bear. It was over 10 ft tall standing up and weighed over,00 lb. Countless other predators roam the land such as multiple species of saber-tooth cat, the American cheetah, and large packs of dire wolves. Strange megapana herbivores also prowled the continent. Woolly mammoths, mastedons, and giant sloths roam the land. These beasts likely inspired many stories passed down to native cultures in North America. 12,000 years ago, the end pleaene mass extinction began to take a massive toll on the environment. Over the next 2,000 years, countless species of megapana went extinct. All of the famous ice age creatures like woolly mammoths and saber-tooth cats perished in this event. It could have been caused by a number of events, but many attribute it to climate change and hunting by humans. The end of the ice age meant the receding of the glaciers. This opened up vast amounts of land in North America. As the thousands of years went by, Native Americans diffused throughout the Americas. The countless number of tribes that diverged from these settlers were primarily hunter gatherers. Around 8,000 years ago, natives in the Mississippi Valley at the Montano site were building complex earth mounts. This site was created by hunter gatherers and was only inhabited seasonally. One of the many sites in Louisiana named Watson Break was created 5,000 years ago and was added on to over a period of 500 years. Later, when agriculture became widespread in Mississippian culture, they were able to create very complex structures out of earth. 3,000 years ago, many Native Americans were still living huntergatherer lifestyles. But some, especially in tropical regions, were becoming very powerful agricultural societies. Meso America is a region extending from central Mexico to the northwestern border of Costa Rica. These fertile lands gave rise to many powerful kingdoms. One of these kingdoms was founded by themes as early as 3,500 years ago. They are famous for the great heads they made out of stones and their large structures. Theme flourished during Meso America's formative period. Pre-Omech cultures flourished since 4,500 years ago and by 3600 years ago the first culture was formed. They founded the city of Tennoitlan. This was the first great Mesoamerican civilization and many of the future civilizations to inhabit this region were inspired by the Mech. Theme may have also been the pioneers of bloodletting and human sacrifice. We do know that the future cultures like the Mayans and the Aztecs participate in these activities. At the Elmanati site, disarticulated skulls and femurss as well as complete skeletons of newborn or unborn children have been discovered amidst the offerings, leading to speculation of infant sacrifice. Scholars have not determined how the infants met their deaths. Some authors have associated infant sacrifice with the ritual art. Alter 5 and also known as Lost Llama's figure shows a limp jaguar infant. On a lighter note, the Omex also founded the famous Mesoamerican ball game. The game included a ball made out of rubber that weighed about 9 lb and a so-called hoop high in the air. Another very famous aspect of the culture was their giant stone heads. There are 17 discovered colossal heads. Their purpose remains a mystery. It was originally thought that these heads were portraits of famous ball players, but it is generally accepted now that they were the rulers dressed as ball players. No two heads are alike, and each headdress has unique markings suggesting they belong to a distinct team or faction. Beyond these heads, they also produced many beautiful works of art. Their artworks are considered among America's most striking. It was very anthropomorphic and naturalistic. Extravagant pieces of art were created out of ceramic like this portrayal of an infant. Jade was particularly common in art and everything from figurines to mass were made of it. A great lesson can be learned about this society. The lesson to be learned is one of culture and legacy. Though they are long gone and we cannot directly contact these people, we have learned a lot about their life through their abundant artwork and cultural objects. Their advanced works of art and pioneering civilization allowed a culture thousands of years in the future to appreciate their existence. [Music] The Aztecs are famed for their massive cities and temples. The biggest cities such as tiotankan, tennoan, and cholula were among the largest cities in the world. Many of these great cities were very competitive, but the messoamerican world had five main cultures that coexisted with each other. The Teotuakin, the Olme, the Toltech, the Mexica, and the Maya extended their reach across Meso America and beyond like no others. They distributed their influence in matters of trade, art, politics, technology, and theology. Other regional power players made alliances with these powerful nations, but many others made war with them. Great wars were fought between these nations, and there is no doubt many lives were lost in these brutal battles. But the Aztec Empire, in particular, was unique. It was formed in 1428. It was an alliance of three city states, Mexico, Tenno, Chitlan, Texoko, and Takopan. Much like ancient Greece, these powerful states join forces to wage war against rival nations. The Mexico were able to form the empire with the ability of their warriors. Warriors were integral to Aztec culture and politics. Warfare in Meso America is characterized by a strong preference of capturing rivals rather than killing them. These ritualistic wars were often called the flower wars. They ensured a well-trained and experienced army as well as a steady supply of people to sacrifice. The Aztec Empire was truly an empire. Much like many European empires, it was culturally and ethnically diverse. At its height, the alliance controlled most of central Mexico and distant territories within Meso America. The Zo Konichako province was an area that the Aztecs controlled, but the province was not directly connected to it. Much like the kings of Europe, the Aztec rulers were seen as divine. Expansion of the empire was accompanied by a militaristic perception of the new huah religion, especially the devout admiration of the sun god who eat xyoptai. Militaristic rituals were performed throughout the year according to a ceremonial calendar of events, rights, and mock battles. The time period they lived in was understood as the sun movement. It was believed to be the final stage after which humanity would be destroyed. It was under Tao that Hued Silo Pachtali assumed his elevated role in the state pantheon and who argued that it was through blood sacrifice the son would be maintained and thereby stave off the end of the world. It was under this new militaristic interpretation that Aztec soldiers were encouraged to fight wars and capture enemies for sacrifice. Though blood sacrifice was common in Meso America, the scale of human sacrifice under the Aztecs was unprecedented in the region. Human sacrifice was mainly conducted on the tops of the many temples in the region. These temples were very large and served many purposes. The Aztecs believe their pyramids were the homes of their gods and places of worship. They were located inside of busy cities and were the centers of regular worship and festivities as well as centers of astrology and astronomy. This was unlike the Egyptian pyramids which were built exclusively for the tombs of kings. The great temple was a large temple with the wash basin at the top. This temple was between 180 m tall and was the biggest building in the Aztec world. In the Aztec capital of Tenno Chitlan, sacrifices took place 18 times a year and around 60 victims each time. During one of these sacrificial events, the god Tal demanded that children have their throats cut to please the god Chicho Kawat. On the contrary, Hued Xopuli preferred to have the beating hearts of men cut out and placed in front of his statue while the severed heads were placed in the temple. It is possible that around 20,000 people were sacrificed a year across the Aztec Empire. In special occasions, more people could be sacrificed. In 1487, an estimated 80,000 people were sacrificed. The lesson to be learned from this culture is that humans are capable of unbelievably brutal acts. Regardless of your religion, it can be said that all the people sacrificed to these gods died in vain. This happened all because of the human interpretation of our world. There was no god telling them to slit the throats of children. But somewhere along the way, that interpretation came into existence. Their culture was beautiful in many aspects and is remembered as a great society, but their culture was also capable of incredible acts of horror. [Music] East of the Aztecs live the Mayan Empire. Around 4,000 years ago, the earliest settlements of what would become the Mayan Empire settled in the Yucatan Peninsula. The Maya were cultivating the staple crop of maize, beans, squash, and chili pepper. These small sedentary villages spent their time farming and working clay. 3,000 years ago, these sparse villages began to form small cities. As the Mayans transitioned into the classical period, their society began to raise monuments and build bigger cities. This period marked the pinnacle of construction and urbanism for the Mayans. The complexity of their buildings and inscriptions demonstrated significant intellectual and artistic development. Politically, the Mayans have been likened to that of Renaissance Italy or classical Greece. Multiple city states were linked in a complex network of alliances. The largest cities had populations numbering 50 to 120,000. Cities throughout the Maya region were greatly influenced by the cities of the distant Aztec Empire. Interactions between these two great kingdoms were rarely violent, but often politically complex. The Mayan society was sharply divided from the elite and the commoners. The sole ruler of the society was semi- divine and acted as the mediator between the mortal realm and that of the gods. King specifically identified with the young maze god. This god provided the gift of maze which was the basis of Mesoamerican civilization. Maya royal succession was patrolineal and power only crossed the queens when the extinction of the dynasty was at stake. Power was typically passed to the eldest son. Various points in the young prince's childhood were marked by ritual. Most important was a bloodletting ceremony at age 5 or 6 years. Although being of royal bloodline was of utmost importance, their heir also had to be a successful war leader as demonstrated by taking captives. The enthronement of a new king was a highly elaborate ceremony involving a series of separate acts that included enthronement upon a jaguar skin cushion, human sacrifice, and receiving the symbols of royal power, such as a headband bearing a jade representation of the so-called jester god, an elaborate headdress adorned with quitzel feathers, and a scepter representing the god Kil. Human sacrifice in Maya culture was viewed as a source of nourishment for the Maya gods and sacrifice of living creature was the most powerful blood offering. The sacrifice of a human life was the ultimate offering of blood to the gods and most important Maya rituals included human sacrifice. Generally only high status prisoners of war were sacrificed and the lower status captives would be used in labor. The most common form of human sacrifice was heart extraction. Influenced by the Aztecs, this usually took place in the courtyard on top of the temple. Four blue painted attendants stretched the sacrifice over a convex stone that pushed the victim's chest upwards. A sacrificial knife made of flint was used to cut into the ribs just below the victim's left breast and pull out the still beating heart. The heart was then passed to the priest who then smeared the blood on the image of the temple's deity. Occasionally, the four attendants would then throw the corpse down the pyramid steps to where it would be skinned. The priest would then remove his ritual attire and then dress himself in the skin of the victim. The corpse would then be cut into portions and eaten by attending warriors and bystanders. Other methods were also used as well, such as being shot by arrows, disembowing, falling to death, or even being buried alive. Warfare was common in the Mayan world. Military campaigns were used to take captives, control trade routes, and even destroy rival nations. Maya armies were highly disciplined. Warriors trained and exercised daily. Every adult male was available for military service. They did not maintain a standing army but rather they were gathered by local officials when needed. Most warriors were not full-time but were primarily farmers. Maya war was not typically for destruction of the enemy but rather for capturing people for slaves and sacrifice and for plundering local kingdoms. The atal was used to throw stone tipped spears at enemies. The blow gun was also used in war but primarily used by the commoners. Bows were also used in the region, but were not favored. Two-handed swords crafted from strong wood and obsidian shards was perhaps the most deadly weapon of war. One blow from this weapon could unseem a man. Maya warriors wore armor in the form of quilted cotton that had been soaked in salt water to toughen it. The resulting armor was very durable and wouldn't overheat a man in the harsh Mexican sun. Warriors also used wooden or animalhide shields decorated with feathers and animal skins. They were led by Mayan kings who commonly wore skulls on their belt. Rival kings defeated in battle would be captured, tortured, and sacrificed. A successful military campaign for the mines could mean a number of things for their enemies. Cities were looted and pillaged, and in some cases destroyed. The city of Aquatica was sacked by the mines and then never resettled. Beyond war and sacrifice, the mines made beautiful works of art. Stone, wood, and ceramic were used in the creation of figurines. They're also famed for their extravagant temples and complex city designs. A complex writing system was also created by these people, resembling Egyptian hieroglyphs. Mathematics was practiced, and so was the use of calendars. The Mayans developed their calendar to its maximum sophistication. It recorded lunar and solar cycles, eclipses, and the movements of the planets with great accuracy. In some cases, the Maya calculations were more accurate than equivalent calculations in the old world. Their knowledge of astronomy was vast. They studied the stars not for scientific reasons, but rather to formulate prophecies. All of their knowledge learned from the skies was learned with the use of their naked eyes. The minds were just as advanced, if not more advanced, than the Europeans of the time in the field of astronomy. They were an incredible society of vast knowledge and cultural value. [Music] South America was home to many unique cultures as well. The Incan Empire of Peru and the Andes region was the largest empire in the Americas. Minkas were a tribe located in the Cusco area in the 12th century. Under the leadership of Manco Kapac, they formed a small city-state named the kingdom of Cusco. It was a small unimportant kingdom until the leader Pakudi reorganized the kingdom. He sent spies to the regions that he wanted to join the empire. He assessed their power and wealth and with this information he could offer them to join his empire and often strategic ways. If they were poor, he would offer them wealth. If they are weak, he would either offer protection or annihilation. Most accepted the rule, but failure to accept would result in military conquest. Fontly in a conquest, the rulers of the rival kingdom were executed and their children would have been brought into Cusco and indoctrinated into their philosophy. With the efforts of Pakudi, the empire quickly grew in size and power. The famous Machu Picchu was created by Pakudi as either a vacation home or a permanent residence. The empire was organized in four different sectors that all met at Cusco. Cusco itself was not seen as one of these states, but rather a federal district like modern-day Washington DC. The state had a legal force and three main laws. Do not steal, do not lie, and do not be lazy. The society's most important form of art was architecture. This becomes apparent when looking at the magnificent work done by the Incan engineers at the site of Machu Picchu. blocks were fit together so well that a blade of a knife could not fit between them. The close fit of these rocks has allowed the buildings to stay pristine after many years of earthquakes and volcanic activity in the region. The Inca also made many discoveries in medicine. They even performed successful brain surgery by cutting holes in the skull to alleviate the buildup of fluids caused by brain trauma. Many of these surgeries were successful and the survival rate was 80 to 90%. Coco leaves were used as a sacred medicine. It could be used to lessen pain and hunger during work, gain more energy, and also an anesthetic during surgery. Another interesting thing about these people is that they were adapted to the altitude. Compared to other humans, the Incas had slower heart rates, larger lung capacities, more blood volume, and double the amount of hemoglobin. Inca warriors were much like the other American nations. They only had access to stone and wooden tools with the exception of small amounts of gold, silver, and bronze. Silver breast plates have been found, but most metal was very uncommon in the Inca world and would not have played a significant part in battle. The Incas rather relied on their large numbers to overwhelm their adversaries in battle. Since it was the largest empire in the Americas, it could muster huge forces to overwhelm neighboring kingdoms. It was very advanced for its time and their architectural achievements are particularly impressive. Beyond the great kingdoms mentioned, there are millions of people throughout the Amazon. Many left little archaeological presence and did not build great temples. There is evidence of complex networks of roads throughout seemingly random stretches of the Amazon. The houses these people made were constructed with wood and foliage and therefore disintegrate quickly in the jungle. [Music] Meanwhile, in North America, many great cultures ruled the diverse lands. Before the arrival of Columbus, it is said there was 500 nations of natives. Each one was culturally unique. In the great Northwest ruled the powerful Irakcoy people. They held values of democracy and at their peak they were the most powerful nation in North America. They were a confederation of five nations. The Mohawk, Onidita, Anadaga, Kauga and Senica all vowed a treaty of peace to form the great league. Prior to the formation of the Irakcoy, these nations fought great wars between each other. These wars became increasingly brutal and in the 14th century, these wars threatened the survival of these people. Then in 1450, a great peacemaker came from the north with a message of peace. He proclaimed this message to each of the five nations. After hearing his pleas, the five nations agreed to his idea of peace. The new nation was to be known as simply the five nations or the five nations of Irakcoy. They vowed to never war against each other, but this did not mean that they were not hostile to other tribes. Their culture has a constitution much like the yet to come United States constitution. Their governmental powers were mainly distributed in two deciding parties. The Grand Council was made up by 56 chiefs from the five nations. The mother of the nation were made up from mothers of each clan. For a lot of pass, it must have support from 75% of both the Grand Council and the mother of the nation. This unique governmental system is one of the aspects of the Irakcoy culture that made them so advanced. Without any influence from Western civilizations, they convergently created a system similar to modern democracies and republics. Though they were intelligent, they were also a wararmongering expansionist culture. Their cultivation of corn, beans, and squash allowed them to support a large population. With this population, they could war at a scale that their rivals could not match. They primarily made war against the neighboring Elgon people. In response to this powerful new neighbor, the Elgon nation adopted the same methods of farming. This allowed them to keep the Irakcoy in check, but many other smaller nations were subjugated by the Irakcoy. The Irakcoy ruled the Northwest, but many other nations inhabited the continent. In the Great Plains region live the Sue Indians. The Sue Nation was made up of both Dakota and Lakota tribes. The stereotypes of natives riding horses and living in teepee is mainly from this nation. Though before the Europeans brought the horses through the Americas, this nation was much different. They lived around Lake Superior in what is now known as Minnesota. They gathered wild rice and other foods, hunted mainly deer and buffalo, and speared fish from canoes. Unfortunately, like many other native cultures, war was a part of life. A common misconception about Native American culture is that they were very peaceful. Just like Europeans, war was all too common in pre-Colombian North America. Sue men gained status by performing brave deeds in warfare. Obtaining horses and scalps were evidence of bravery in battle. On the contrary, Sue women were skilled at porcupine quill and bead embroidery, favoring geometric designs. Religion was a crucial part of Sue culture. The Sue recognized four powers that ruled over the universe. The buffalo was a very important figure in Sue rituals. The Teton and Santisu also held high regard for the great grizzly bear. In rituals, a ceremonial bear hunt would be practiced to protect warriors in battle. The annual Sundance was the most important religious event for the Sue. Ultimately, prolonged and continual warfare with the Ojibo tribes eventually drove the Sue into the Great Plains. This caused great distress for the culture, and they would eventually adopt the Way of the Plains. Much later in history, they would use European horses to navigate the great expanses of the plains. But before contact with Europeans, there were no horses in America. The Muscogee were a related group of tribes living in the southeastern United States. Their original homelands include Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and North Florida. They were descended from the Mississippian mountain building cultures. Their cultivation of crops like maze allowed their numbers to grow. This led to towns, cities, and kingdoms. Kingdoms were usually run by a single chief. With the aid of agriculture, these kingdoms were able to grow large enough to take on massive projects like mound building. But later in the early 1400s, many of these once great kingdoms collapsed, and the Creek people were left to live in simple villages. These villages contained simple houses constructed with rivercane and other local materials. Villages were widespread throughout the dense forests of the southeast. Later in history, when the Europeans came, these tribes would band together once again to form the great Muscogee Creek Confederacy. This confederacy eventually created the fearsome seinal people of Florida. But before contact with Europe, they were merely simple tribes. [Music] The southwest lived three nations. The Apache were a collective of several culturally related tribes that spoke variations of the Apascan language. The Apache separated from the Azakan in western Canada centuries ago and migrated to the southwest United States in the 13th century. The Pueblo people gave them the name Apachu meaning enemy in their language. The Apache called themselves tin tinde or dini meaning the people. They were mainly hunter gatherers and only practiced limited farming. The men practiced in raiding and hunting while the women gathered food, water and materials. They mainly lived in brush houses called wickups, but occasionally would live in buffalo hide houses. They made little pottery, but were instead known for their expert basketry. They were also known as particularly fierce warriors and raiders. Religion was a fundamental aspect of Apache life. Men dressed in elaborate costumes to represent the giver of life and the mountain spirits. Healing and puberty ceremonies were performed in these rituals. They never became a large farming civilization, but were rather adept survivalists, fierce warriors, and ruthless raiders. [Music] The Navajo and the Apache both spoke a very similar language and were both huntergatherer societies. They lived in wooden hogens. Male Hogans were four-sided while females Hogans were eight-sided. They were made of wood and covered in clay. The doors were always facing the east to allow the sun to enter in the morning. Hogans were used in religious ceremonies. The sacred song, The Blessing Way, describes the first Hogan as being built by a coyote with help from a beaver to be the house for the first man and woman. The Navajo people believe they passed through three worlds before arriving into this world. The fourth world was known as the glittering world. As earth people, the da must do everything they can to maintain the balance between mother earth and man. The first world was called the dark world. This is where the spirits lived and the first man and woman came from. The second world was known as the blue world and it was inhabited by animals and the swallow chief. The third world was one of the mountains. It was inhabited by the first man and woman, but they were later forced out by a great flood. They then settled in the fourth world and this is where the Navajo believed the first men descended. This was also the only world with seasons, the moon, the stars, and the sun. The holy people had instructed the Navajo to view four sacred mountains as the boundaries of the homeland, and they shall never leave it. Their religion oddly contains convergently evolved ideas regarding religion, including a great flood and the first two people. The Navajo had many unique ceremonies. Most of their ceremonies are used to prevent or cure disease. The Navajo were also renowned for their silver smithing work. It is said they had learned advanced techniques from a man from Mexico, likely the Aztec Empire. They took these skills and used them to make all kinds of beautiful jewelry. Some was ceremonial and others were for trade. The Navajos were also known for their beautiful weaving styles. These blankets and rugs were valuable and traded throughout the region. The Navajo were a relatively peaceful nation of nomadic herdsmen. They created beautiful artwork that is still valued today. The Pueblo people are the third great tribe of the southwest. Unlike the other nations of the southwest, they were primarily agricultural. They created large villages that were akin to modern-day apartment buildings. They were multi-story and made of stone and other local materials. The name pou actually comes from the name of the houses they inhabited. It was an agricultural society. They farmed corn and gourds. The maze adopted by these people likely came from the Aztec Empire. Though separated by hundreds of miles, the Aztec Empire still held influence in much of the southwest. The arrival of this crop allowed many small tribes to grow much larger in the relatively barren southwest. Pottery was the main form of art produced by the Pueblo culture. It was made of local clay and fired into ceramic. Animals and figures were commonly painted on these pots. The culture was very religious and held great ceremonies to bless the harvest. Ceremonies often featured traditional dances that were accompanied by music and drums. The Puebos were the most agricultural society in the southwest. They spread agriculture through the southwest, including the Navajo and the Apache tribes. Many of the villages these people made still stand today and remind us of the once great society that inhabited the very harsh Southwest. Right above the arid southwest was a great basin. The different ethnic groups in the Great Basin lived together in relative peace. Common cultural elements were present throughout the area. Much like the arid southwest, the area of the Great Basin was very dry. Agriculture was not even practiced in the Great Basin itself. Because of this, many tribes within depended on hunting and gathering. The tribes that inhabited this region would later form the Ute, Peute, and Shosonyi tribes. The Ute are the oldest residents of Colorado. They were hunter gatherers and they survived with skillful hunting and fishing. Men would hunt deer and elk while the woman would hunt smaller animals and gather food. Trade with the pueblo allowed them to store water and resources in their valuable pots. The youth lived in relatively small family groups and every year they would head towards the mountains for winter. There they would attend cultural events with culturally similar tribes. They lived off the land and would gather everything from soap to medicine from nature. To the west of the Ute live the Peyute people. They lived in the harsh desert of Nevada, eastern Oregon, and western Idaho. Their knowledge of the wild was extensive, and they were provided with anything they could need from nature. Shamans are popular among the native tribes, but they are especially abundant among the Pute. The Putes believed in a force called Puha that they thought gave life to the physical world. In order to draw upon the forces of the sacred power, shamans would visit certain sites thought to hold the power. These locations included mountains, caves, and other peculiar geological formations. At these sites, the shamans would perform ceremonies for curing the wounded, rain making, and blessing for war. The shamans would often use various mediums such as a rattle, smoke, and songs to incite the power of the universe into the injured. Another tribe present in the Great Basin region was the Shosonyi. The Shosonyi lived north of the Ute and the Pu tribes. They spent much of their history living in the Great Plains, but war with rival tribes caused them to retreat to the western areas. [Music] The Northwest was home to many tribes as well. The Nez Pierce lived in the Great Plateau of the Pacific Northwest. They occupied an area that included parts of present day Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. They moved throughout this region in parts of what are now Montana and Wyoming to fish, hunt, and trade. Their ancestors had lived in the Pacific Northwest for around 11,000 years. Villages were small and were often located on streams with abundant salmon. The salmon provided a substantial amount of nutrients for these people. Every year, salmon from the ocean would swim up the rivers where they eventually spawn on gravel beds. After spawning, all the salmon die, and the salmon life cycle starts over again. The Nespierce could literally harvest thousands of salmon at this time. The salmon would be dried and eaten over the following winter. The Nespierce knew not to harvest the salmon before they spawned. This allowed them to have a sustainable source of food they could rely on. They also frequented the site known as Yellowstone. Yellowstone contains significant amounts of obsidian. It has been used for over 10,000 years as a trade hub for the valuable commodity. Obsidian was traded all over the country and even making it all the way down to Mississippi. 26 other tribes of Native Americans also have substantial historical connections with the site. [Music] Many other groups of Native Americans live throughout the Americas. The Americas are a very large land mass, home to just as much cultural diversity as Europe and Asia. These tribes existed for thousands of years, and many still exist today. They fought countless wars between each other, and many nations were pushed from their native lands. The Incan Empire even rivaled some European empires in size and glory. Many nations produced beautiful works of art depicting unique aspects of their culture. Monumental feats of architecture were accomplished by these people and the Incans were master stone workers. Though these societies may have seemed superficially as simple and barbaric, they advanced in many ways. The Mayans were among the most advanced in the fields of astronomy and the Incas even practiced brain surgery. Everything changed when the Europeans came. Columbus first arrived in the Caribbean in 1492 and after settlers from Europe came in droves. They brought their advanced weapons of war, their illnesses, and their insatiable ambition for gold and glory. The arrival of the Europeans marked a new era for the people of the Americas. All of these nations were affected in some way, and many were even destroyed by the relentless colonists. [Music] Thanks for watching my first fulllength documentary. I really hope I did a good job to present the Native Americans accurately. I pointed out their flaws such as wararm mongering and human sacrifice, but I also made sure to give them credit where they deserved it. The story of Native Americans is very complex and they deserve to be remembered. Many tribes and nations still exist today, but unfortunately face many issues. Hopefully, this documentary will let you understand that these people once ruled this continent and deserve respect. At any point in the documentary, if you think I depicted certain tribes incorrectly, then I would like to hear your feedback. Comment down below if I said anything wrong or just leave me a nice comment down below. Also, it would really help my channel if you liked and subscribed as well. I just wanted to say once again how much I appreciate your time and I hope I can make more great videos for you guys. This has been your host, North O2, and have a nice day. [Music]