America Before Columbus: Difference between revisions
wikademia>Geoff Plourde No edit summary |
wikademia>Geoff Plourde |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[Introduction to US History/United We Stand:The History of the United States of America|Contents]] / Next Chapter | [[Introduction to US History/United We Stand:The History of the United States of America|Contents]] / Next Chapter | ||
==Early Americans== | ==Early Americans== | ||
American history does not begin with Columbus's 1492 arrival in America. The beginning of American history actually occurred 30,000 to 50,000 years ago. At one point in time, the Americas were connected to Asia via the [[w:Bering Strait|Bering Strait]]. Hunter gatherers followed animals that migrated across the strait and gradually spread south. Eventually, people inhabited all of the Americas. This wave of migration ceased when the land bridge broke apart. | American history does not begin with Columbus's 1492 arrival in America. The beginning of American history actually occurred 30,000 to 50,000 years ago. At one point in time, the Americas were connected to Asia via the [[w:Bering Strait|Bering Strait]]. Hunter gatherers followed animals that migrated across the strait and gradually spread south. When they arrived they discovered a beautiful uninhabited land with more animals than their homeland. Eventually, people inhabited all of the Americas. This wave of migration ceased when the land bridge broke apart. | ||
As time went on, many of these tribes settled down and began to farm and domesticate animals. Despite this apparent pacification, some tribes actively engaged in war and slavery, two practices that were not unique to Europeans. Through conflict and slavery, empires rose across the Americas that rivaled the greatest ones in Europe. For their time, some of these empires were highly advanced. | |||
When referring to these empires, historians have difficulty, as the native people did not have a unified name for themselves. The term Indian came from the belief by Christopher Columbus that he had discovered India. Despite Amerigo Vespucci ascertaining that the Americas were not | |||
==Early Empires of Mesoamerica== | ==Early Empires of Mesoamerica== | ||
==Early Empires of the Southwest== | ==Early Empires of the Southwest== | ||
==Early Empires of the Mississippi== | ==Early Empires of the Mississippi== | ||
'''Early North American Cultures'''<br> | '''Early North American Cultures'''<br> | ||
Revision as of 17:54, 12 October 2008
Contents / Next Chapter
Early Americans
American history does not begin with Columbus's 1492 arrival in America. The beginning of American history actually occurred 30,000 to 50,000 years ago. At one point in time, the Americas were connected to Asia via the Bering Strait. Hunter gatherers followed animals that migrated across the strait and gradually spread south. When they arrived they discovered a beautiful uninhabited land with more animals than their homeland. Eventually, people inhabited all of the Americas. This wave of migration ceased when the land bridge broke apart.
As time went on, many of these tribes settled down and began to farm and domesticate animals. Despite this apparent pacification, some tribes actively engaged in war and slavery, two practices that were not unique to Europeans. Through conflict and slavery, empires rose across the Americas that rivaled the greatest ones in Europe. For their time, some of these empires were highly advanced.
When referring to these empires, historians have difficulty, as the native people did not have a unified name for themselves. The term Indian came from the belief by Christopher Columbus that he had discovered India. Despite Amerigo Vespucci ascertaining that the Americas were not
Early Empires of Mesoamerica
Early Empires of the Southwest
Early Empires of the Mississippi
Early North American Cultures