Bangerz
Pre-Columbian Era: Introduction
700 B.C.–1400 A.D.
In this section, you will examine the developments that led to the settling of the Americas. Included in this section will be a discussion of key terms that will help describe both the scientific and social implications of this development. You will also focus on the agrarian society and the role of the Native Americans in shaping the development of North America. First, listen to the tutorial to learn more about the land bridge theory of human migration to North America.
Speakers or headphones are needed.
Beginnings
Around 225 million years ago, a single super continent contained all the Earth’s dry land. Slowly over time, chunks of terrain began to tear away from the continent. This tectonic activity formed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as Eurasia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and the Americas. It is believed that the first settlers migrated from Asia to the Americas via the Bering Land Bridge. The Bering Land Bridge is believed to have joined present-day Alaska and Siberia. It was about 1,000 miles in length. The bridge was formed during the last ice age when glaciers trapped the Earth’s ocean waters, which caused sea levels to drop. Scientists believe these first inhabitants traveled along the land bridge while following herds of game. These first settlers would later be called "Indians" by European explorers.
Native American Culture
As various groups migrated to the Americas they brought with them their own beliefs and customs. As a result, the different groups formed new societies and merged cultures, creating a blended society.
Although these societies did not consist of a formal class structure, they were based on the concept of kinship. A kinship is a method of organization in which extended families forge close bonds to provide basic needs for one another such as food, shelter, and medical care.
The clan was also a distinct factor in Native American society. A
700 B.C.–1400 A.D.
In this section, you will examine the developments that led to the settling of the Americas. Included in this section will be a discussion of key terms that will help describe both the scientific and social implications of this development. You will also focus on the agrarian society and the role of the Native Americans in shaping the development of North America. First, listen to the tutorial to learn more about the land bridge theory of human migration to North America.
Speakers or headphones are needed.
Beginnings
Around 225 million years ago, a single super continent contained all the Earth’s dry land. Slowly over time, chunks of terrain began to tear away from the continent. This tectonic activity formed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as Eurasia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and the Americas. It is believed that the first settlers migrated from Asia to the Americas via the Bering Land Bridge. The Bering Land Bridge is believed to have joined present-day Alaska and Siberia. It was about 1,000 miles in length. The bridge was formed during the last ice age when glaciers trapped the Earth’s ocean waters, which caused sea levels to drop. Scientists believe these first inhabitants traveled along the land bridge while following herds of game. These first settlers would later be called "Indians" by European explorers.
Native American Culture
As various groups migrated to the Americas they brought with them their own beliefs and customs. As a result, the different groups formed new societies and merged cultures, creating a blended society.
Although these societies did not consist of a formal class structure, they were based on the concept of kinship. A kinship is a method of organization in which extended families forge close bonds to provide basic needs for one another such as food, shelter, and medical care.
The clan was also a distinct factor in Native American society. A