There are many theories as to who first populated the Americas and how they arrived here. The most accepted view is that people crossed a land bridge over the Bering Strait ( from Asia or modern Russia) into what today is Alaska. (See NASA satellite photo at right). However, recent evidence found in Southeastern Wisconsin suggests that perhaps the first immigrants migrated from the east, perhaps even Europe. No matter their origin, archaeologists have found tribal remains in southern Chile which suggest that people lived in the Americas perhaps 30,000-40,000 years ago. Archaeologists use the accurate method of radiocarbon dating (link) to determine the age of such ancient relics. 
     So though we traditionally credit Christopher Columbus with "discovering" America, there were actually millions of Native Americans occupying North and South America. They were divided into hundreds of tribal societies, spreading from the Eskimo and Inuit of the north down to the most advanced of which were the Mayas (and later the Aztecs) in Mexico and the Incas of Peru. While the Native Americans did not advance at the pace of the cultures of Europe, you will soon see that significant achievements were made in agriculture, architecture and mathematics.
     Though an estimated eight to sixteen million Indians populated the Americas at the time of Columbus' arrival, soon perhaps as many as 90% would be killed off through violence and disease brought by European discoverers in the name of progress, civilization, and Christianity.

1. Here's a video for you to watch. The story should be familiar, but at the end the narrator says we now know that other Europeans came to the Americas at least five centuries earlier - who were they?

Here are the readings you need for this assignment.

To read effectively it is best to first skim the material noting any bolded vocabulary. Also, look at the questions at the end of each section to get an idea of what you should be looking for as you read. Look at the pictures and accompanying captions. Then read the entire chapter in one sitting. Stand up, take a breath and clear your mind before sitting and returning to your text. Look at the sectional questions again - do you have a sufficient understanding of what you read? Could you explain some of the concepts and ideas to someone else? If not, read the chapter again before answering the following questions.

2.  Your text refers to the Ice Age and glaciers. Do you know of any evidence in the Milwaukee area or southeastern Wisconsin that is proof of this Ice age or glaciations (link)?

3. Why did people migrate to the Americas? In other words what were they searching for?

4. What key event allowed these Native Americans to cease their nomadic existence and begin building great civilizations?

Using you text, in a sentence or two answer the following:

5. How were the Indians of the Great Plains like the Southwest Indians and how were they different?

6. How were the Indians of the Great Plains like those of the eastern woodland and how were they different?

7. How were the Indians of the Great Plains like those of the Pacific Northwest and how were they different?

8. How were the Indians of the Eastern Woodlands like those of the Pacific Northwest and how were they different?

9. How were the Indians of the Eastern Woodlands like those of the Southwest and how were they different?

10. How were the Indians of the Southwest like those of the Pacific Northwest and how were they different?

11. What was the League of Five Nations and why is it important to American history? 

12. What role did women play in Iroquois society?

13. What were the contributions of the Mayan culture (link)?

14. Please explain how the Aztec culture (link) was both advanced and brutal at the same time.