Overview of Native Societies Before European Contact

Introduction

• Common perceptions of American history often start at 1776 or 1492
• Actual history in the Americas dates back approximately 15,000 years
• This overview focuses on the complexity and diversity of native societies before European contact

Early Arrival Theories

• Scholarly debate exists on how early people arrived in the Americas
• Land Bridge Theory:
  • Around 12,000 years ago, lower sea levels exposed a land bridge between Asia and the Americas
  • People may have traveled over this land
• Alternative Theories:
  • Recent archaeological evidence suggests early arrivals might have occurred via boats
• By the late 1400s, approximately 50 million people lived in the Americas
  • 4-6 million in North America

Development of Societies

• Domestication of Maize:
  • Around 5,000 BCE, maize was domesticated in Mexico
  • Allowed shift from nomadic hunting-gathering to settled agriculture
  • Enabled development of villages and complex societies

Major Native American Societies

Southwest and Great Basin

• Regions characterized by dry climate
• Great Plains:
  • Societies continued hunting and gathering, focusing on bison
  • Utilized tipis for easy setup and transport
• Southwest:
  • Ancestral Puebloan people developed complex irrigation systems for maize
  • Lived in large cave complexes due to agricultural growth

Northwest

• Fishing:
  • Pacific Ocean provided a plentiful food source
• Mississippian Peoples:
  • Developed large settlements like Cahokia near St. Louis
  • Population peaked at 25,000 to 40,000 residents

East Coast Native Peoples

• Utilized Three-Sister Farming:
  • Planting corn, beans, and squash together
  • Plants mutually benefit each other
  • Created a nutritious diet, supporting higher population density

Conclusion

• Native societies had evolved for over 14,000 years before European arrival
• Introduction of Europeans brought significant change, including new pathogens, plants, and animals.