Ancient peoples first arrived in North America thousands of years ago by crossing a land bridge between Asia and Alaska during an ice age. They hunted large animals like mammoths for food. Later, some Native Americans transitioned to farming crops such as corn, beans, and squash, allowing them to settle in permanent villages. Two early civilizations that developed were the Pueblo people in the southwest around 1100 AD, who constructed houses from mud and stone, and the Aztecs in central Mexico around 1300 AD, who built pyramids and developed calendars.

1. Ancient Americans
and
Early Civilizations

2. Beringia
 How did people [get to] America?
 Some scientists believe they came across
Beringia. Thousands and thousands of
[years ago], land connected Asia-(the
largest continent) to North America.
Many people and animals crossed this land
and came to North America.

3. Ice Age
Glaciers - are
huge pieces of
slowly moving
ice.
* Many thousands of years ago the earth was
very cold and there was a lot of ice.

4. The Beringia
Land Bridge
Some scientists
believe this was
all land. It was
called the
Beringia
Land Bridge.

5. From Hunting to Agriculture
(growing plants)
 For many many years, Indians (the first to arrive
in America) hunted animals for food. Later, the
Indians changed and they began farming for food.
The Indians used farming and hunting [to feed]
their families.
 Most of the farmers grew crops like corn, beans,
and squash. Farming allowed people [to stay] in
the same place because they didn’t [have to]
follow the animals for food.

6. Many of the tools they
used were made from
rocks and sticks.
Some of the
animals they
hunted where
huge. The
mammoth was a
very large and
hairy animal that
was much like an
elephant
Homes were
made from
sticks, leaves,
vines, and other
plants.

7. Civilizations
 Civilization- a group of people that have
government, religion, and culture.
 Pueblo (year-1100) - The Pueblo lived in the
Southwest about two thousand years ago. They built
houses out of mud and stone.
 Aztec (year- 1300)- The Aztec civilization ruled in
Central Mexico about one thousand years ago.
They built pyramids and made calendars.

8. Aztecs and Pueblos
 The Aztecs had over 250,000 people. They built
roads and pyramids and made calendars.
 The Pueblos made houses from mud and stones.
The made buildings with many rooms and they
also built churches for praying. One day the all of
the Pueblos left their villages and never came
back.

9. The Pueblos
 The Pueblos lived in the southwestern
United States. The Pueblos were American
Indians.
This area is now
Texas, New Mexico,
Arizona, and
Oklahoma.

11. People of the Northwest
 Alaska to Northern California-This area of
the U.S. has mountains on the east and the
Pacific Ocean to the west. Several American
Indian groups lived in this region.
 The Indians lived in the Northwest over 500
years ago. They hunted for most of their food
and collected vegetables and water from the
land.

12. People of the Southeast
 Alaska to Northern California-This area of
the U.S. has mountains on the east and the
Pacific Ocean to the west. Several American
Indian groups lived in this region.
 The Indians lived in the Northwest over 500
years ago. They hunted for most of their food
and collected vegetables and water from the
land.

13. People of the Northwest
 Alaska to Northern California-This area of
the U.S. has mountains on the east and the
Pacific Ocean to the west. Several American
Indian groups lived in this region.
 The Indians lived in the Northwest over 500
years ago. They hunted for most of their food
and collected vegetables and water from the
land.

14. People of the Southeast
 Choctaw
 Chickasaw
 Natchez