Hunter-gatherers from Asia crossed into North America over a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska around 30,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. As the climate warmed, sea levels rose and the land bridge disappeared. Native Americans adapted to different environments across North America by developing diverse cultures and ways of life to make use of local natural resources, though they generally shared beliefs about respecting nature and not owning land. The continent can be divided into eight cultural regions including Northwest Coast, California, Great Basin, Plateau, Great Plains, Southwest, Eastern Woodlands, and Southeast, which had varying climates and natural resources that shaped native lifestyles.
1. America In The Beginning Who were the first Americans? This land bridge is known as Beringia. Animals like mammoths crossed the bridge or migrated to the America's. This caused ocean levels to rise and expose land. In the Bering straighta land bridge appeared connecting Siberia (Asia) & The Americas 30,000 years ago During a period of low temperatures called an Ice Age. The world was covered in Glaciers or sheets of ice. How and why did they come here?
2. America In The Beginning What happened when they came to America? The ice age ended warming up glaciers causing water levels to rise covering up the land bridge Some animals died off like mammoths. Living in many different parts of the Americas the Natives needed to adjust or adapt to every thing in the new surrounds that made up each of their own environment in order to survive. How did they meet their new needs? Hunter's in Asia who moved from place to place to find food or nomads followed the mammoths and spread out or migrated to the America's
3. How did Native Americans adjust to the new environments? America In The Beginning Different groups in different environments developed their own beliefs and ways of life or culture. Groups in the same environments adapted similar life styles, and language creating cultural region. Many Native American have these things in common. 1. Nature has a spirit land. 2. No one can own land. 3. Only use what is needed(nowaste). 4.Tradewas important to most societies. Living in many different parts of the Americas the Natives used the different natural resources in their own different environments for food, clothing, and shelter. What did they have in common?
4. 8 Cultural Regions California Great Basin Great Plains South East North West Coast Plateau Eastern Woodlands South West
7. North West Coast Weather: long cold winters cool summers heavy rainfall Natural Resources: ocean/beaches thick forests of fir, spruce, and cedar rugged mountains seafood/salmon deer, moose, bear, elk, beaver, mountain goats
8. California Weather: rainy winters hot dry summers Natural Resources: ocean/coast foothills valley's deserts mountains acorns, oak trees grass, and plants redwood trees salmon/seafood/shellfish deer, rabbits, ducks, roots berries, pine nuts
9. Great Basin Weather: little rain hot during the day cold at night Natural Resources: mostly dessert low areas surrounded by mountains at the edges with valleys that had seasonal lakes and streams plants that need little water like grasses, sagebrush, pinion trees, at the outer edges pine trees, and willow small animals rabbits, lizards, grasshoppers, snakes sometimes ducks , duck eggs during certain seasons seeds, berries pine nuts, roots; cattail.
10. Plateau Weather: long cold winters comfortable summers Natural Resources: mountains with dense forests in areas flatter in the center with drier grass lands rivers driftwood, mud, dirt, grass and sage brush fish, antelope, deer, seeds onions, carrots, camas roots, salmon
11. Great Plains Weather: cold winters hot summers Natural Resources: mountains surrounding edges treeless grasslands in the center east more water and softer soil west drier dense grass Buffalo and smaller animals
12. South West Weather: high temperatures little rain dry/arid Natural Resources: mountains, canyons desserts, flat top mesas rivers, little water clay, brightly colored plants, cotton corn, beans, squash, peppers, rabbits
13. Eastern Woodlands Weather: snowy winters , rain Natural Resources: rivers, ocean/coast lots of lakes and streams Forests, plants, maple trees, elm, deer, bears, beavers, birds, fish corn, sunflowers, tobacco, vegetables, nuts, berries
