Lecture Notes: Native American History and Culture

Introduction

Themes: Diversity of landscapes and culture in pre-Columbian Americas
Focus: Indigenous peoples, their societies, and interactions before European arrival

Bering Land Bridge: Pathway from Asia to the Americas around 20,000 years ago
- Traversed by multiple ethnic groups over time
- Evidence at Swan Lake, Alaska (14,500 years ago)
- Diverse fauna: elk, bison, mammoth, moose

Megafauna: Large species like mammoths and saber-toothed cats
Extinction Event: End Pleistocene (~12,000 years ago)
- Attributed to climate change and human activity

Olmecs: First major civilization in Mesoamerica (~3,500 years ago)
- Known for colossal stone heads and ritual practices
- Possible pioneers in bloodletting and human sacrifice
- Contributions: Mesoamerican ball game, jade art
Aztecs: Established in 1428 as an alliance of three city-states
- Notable for large cities and temples
- Culture: Ritual warfare (flower wars), human sacrifices
- Religious belief: Sun-god worship, blood sacrifices
Maya: Flourished in Yucatan Peninsula
- Developed advanced architecture and inscriptions
- Political structure: City-states with complex alliances
- Cultural practices: Human sacrifice, intricate art, and astronomy

Incan Empire: Largest empire in the Americas, based in Andes
- Founded by Manco Capac; expanded under Pachacuti
- Notable for architecture (e.g., Machu Picchu)
- Medical practices: Successful brain surgeries

Iroquois: Confederation of five nations
- Known for democratic governance
- Influence and warfare with Algonquian tribes
Sioux: Plains Indians known for buffalo hunting and teepees
- Religion centered around nature and animals
Muscogee/Creek: Descendants of mound builders
- Formed simple villages post-collapse of kingdoms
Apache and Navajo: Hunter-gatherer societies in the Southwest
- Noted for basketry and silversmithing