Download Native American shared beliefs

Social Studies
Grade 7
Before the First Global Age
Chapter 2
First Civilizations of the Americas
• Reaching the Americas
– Historians believe early
Americans crossed into North
America via a land bridge from
Asia during the last Ice Age.
– During this Ice Age thick sheets
of ice called glaciers covered
almost 1/3 of the earth
– Glaciers are believed to have
uncovered a land bridge joining
Asia with Alaska in NA.
– One theory of peoples arrival in
NA is that nomadic hunters
crossed this land bridge
tracking herds of animals.
• With the end of the last
Ice Age temperatures
rose, glaciers melted and
the land bridge
disappeared under the
Bering Strait.
• At the same time some
types of large animals
died out and forced
hunters to adapt turning
to hunting/gathering and
then farming for food.
Farming brought great changes
No longer
need to move
to follow
food
Permanent
settlements
develop
Allow
Population
To increase
Food surplus
Allow for
Specialized
skills
Mayan Civilization
• Lived in the rain forests of
Guatemala and Mexico
• Highly skilled farmers
• Well defined social classes
highest being priests, lowest
slaves
• Study of astronomy allowed for
creation of an accurate calendar
and prediction of eclipses
• Skilled mathematicians
developed a numbers system
including zero
• Around 900A.D. they
abandoned their cities perhaps
due to warfare or drought
Aztec Civilization
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Developed a powerful empire in central Mexico during the 1300’s
Capital city of Tenochtitlan was built on an island connecting the city to
mainland using raised roads made of packed earth called causeways
Skilled farmers using floating gardens raise large amounts of crops
Aztec priests preformed rituals designed to please Aztec gods including
human sacrifice to their sun god
The Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes conquered the Aztecs in 1519
Incan
Civilization
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By 1500’s the empire
stretched 2,500 miles along
the west coast of SA
To unite their empire the
Incas built an extensive
road system
Runners throughout the
empire carried quipu a
device made of cord and
knots used for calculations
Skilled engineers built stone
temples and forts
Farmers developed a
terrace system to grow
crops on mountainsides
Early Cultures in North America
The Hohokam lived in
Arizona about 2000 years
ago.
 Developed irrigation
system to farm in the
desert
Anasazi lived in the area of the
US 4 corners
-used irrigation in the desert to
farm
-Built homes in cliffs of adobe
-Spanish called these homes
pueblos which means village
Mound Builders
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Various cultures that built
large earth mounds about
3000 years ago
• First mounds were built
for burial later mounds
were used for religious
ceremonies
• Hopewell's and
Mississippians are the
best known group of
Mound Builders
 Cahokia was the
largest city in present
day Illinois
 About 30,000 people
lived there at one time
Culture and Culture Areas
 Culture
is the entire way of life of a people
 Including homes, clothing, economy,
arts and government
 Culture Area is a region in which people
share a similar way of life
 A tribe is a community of people that
share common customs, language and
rituals in a culture area
Life in different culture areas
• Native Americans developed
ways to meet their needs of
food, shelter and clothing
– Tribes hunted and gathered
fruits and nuts
– Built canoes from trees to
fish
– Farmed wide varieties of
corn
– Natives traded amongst
tribes to exchange goods
from other places
Climate and resources affect
Native American cultures
 Climate shaped Native American
cultures
 In harsh climates resources are
limited, people struggle to find
food and shelter in these
regions people were often
nomadic.
In areas of milder climate complex cultures
emerge. Warm growing seasons allowed
people to build permanent villages and
trade with nearby groups.
Native American shared beliefs

Native Americans share a deep
respect for nature
 People felt a close bond to
plants, animals and forces of
nature.
 Prayer and ceremonies
honored spirits
 Religious ceremonies were
designed to maintain a
balance between people and
nature
Iroquois
• The Iroquois are 5 tribes which spoke a
similar language in New York
• Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga,
Oneida, Cayuga
– Called themselves “People of the
Long House” after their homes
• Typical long house was about 150
ft long, housed 12 or more families
-Women owned all property and chose
the clan leaders
-Tribal leaders called sachems met
once a year to make decisions for the
League of the Iroquois.
African and Asian trade networks
• Long distance travel and trade increased between
Europe, Asia and Africa in 1400’s beginning 1st
global age.
– Arab merchants played a large role in growing
trade and the spread of Islam.
• Overland routes between Asia, Middle East
and China known as Silk Road because of
silks traded.
• Porcelain and silk from China, cloth from
India, ivory and gold from Africa and spices
from Asia are all traded on the Silk Road
The Middle Ages
• About 500-1400AD
• Feudalism a system of rule by lords who
ruled their land but owed loyalty and military
service to the monarch.
• Life revolved around the manor, including a
castle, several villages and land around it.
• The Crusades were a series of wars fought
by Christians and Muslims between 11001300 over control of the Holy Lands.
– Crusaders went from living on Manors to
experiencing the exotic foods and silks of
the Middle East. TRADE INCREASES
– New trade make use of navigation
instruments
• Astrolabe an instrument which helped
sailors determine latitude
The Renaissance
• Increased trade and travel
made Europeans eager to
learn about the world.
• The burst of learning known
as the Renaissance,
meaning “rebirth” lasted
between the 1300-1600’s.
– 1430’s invention of printing
press by Gutenberg made
books widely available
• Learning spread quickly
Search for Trade Routes
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Muslim and Italian
merchants controlled
trade routes through
the Mediterranean Sea.
England, France, Spain,
Portugal all looking for
their own trade routes
to the wealth of Asia
Portuguese Exploration
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Looking for their own route to
Asia they travel south around
Africa, through the Indian Ocean
to the east.
• Prince Henry, AKA Henry the
Navigator, set up school to
teach sailors navigation and
ship building.
• 1497 Vasco da Gama - 1st
Portuguese to round Cape of
Good Hope, cross the Indian
Ocean to East Indies and Asia
giving a source of valuable
spices