The first Americans crossed into North America from Asia over a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska around 30,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. As the climate warmed, glaciers melted and sea levels rose, covering the land bridge. These early peoples migrated throughout North and South America and adapted to different environments, developing distinct cultural practices and ways of life. They utilized local natural resources for food, clothing, shelter and tools. While cultures varied regionally, most Native Americans shared a spiritual connection to nature and belief in stewardship of the land.

1. America In The Beginning Who were the first Americans? This land bridge is known as *beringia*. Animals like mammoths crossed the bridge or ** to the America's. This caused ocean levels to *drop* and expose *land*. In the Bering straight a *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 *environments* 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. Nature has a *spirit & believe in many gods*. 2. No one can own *land*. 3. Only use what is *needed (no waste)*. 4. *Trade* was 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

5. 8 Cultural Regions

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 Used cedar canoes to hunt Fenced in salmon laying eggs used cedar to make rope, mats and baskets shell needles used wedges, sledge hammers, drills, and knifes to carve wooden masks Clothing: Cedar water proof clothing like capes with decorative shell buttons Shelter: lived near the coast Cedar Long Houses with cedar bark roofs

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 Used Bows& arrows, snares, and nets, used cooking stones to heat acorn meal tools from antlers Clothing:grass/leather aprons and skirts Shelter: Cone shaped made of redwood bark, pole, and reeds woven into mats

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, pinon 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 Tools: water baskets sealed with tree sap Floating duck decoys, nets, sharp sticks, flat baskets for catching seeds Clothing: rabbit robes in winter Shelter: Nomadic temporary cone shelters of willow, brush and reeds

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 Tools: woven baskets, willow digging sticks, wooden fishing platforms, nets, and spears for salmon Clothing: antelope and deer hides leggings, dresses and skirts, woven hats, seed and shell designs Shelter: near rivers, partly under ground out of driftwood, mud, sap, and reeds

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 Clothing: Buffalo robes and hides Shelter: Houses called tipis Tools: bow made of buffalo tendon, arrows, V shaped stone trap, fire, bone knives, shields

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 Houses were made from strips of young trees woven into a rectangular frame, then plastered with clay. These houses had pointed roofs made of leaves.

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 Towns included many mounds, first mounds were burial sights, but others were larger, and used as platforms for temples. It took many months, even years, to build these mounds, because they moved the dirt 1 basket full at a time.

14. South East Weather: long warm humid summers mild winters Natural Resources: rivers, ocean/coast Fertile coastal plains mountains, swamps Trees, clay, shells, corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, sweet potatoes squirrels, rabbits, turkeys, deer, alligators, turtles, wild rice, persimmons