Early_Americans

Running head: Early North American Culture Early North Americans Axia College Abstract This paper will discuss the migration of Asians into North America and briefly explain their primitive lifestyles. The paper will show the introduction of farming into the peoples and the effect this had on their society. I will then briefly talk about the Gutierrez map and explain the Native peoples of North America and the signs and coat of arms of European exploration. Early North Americans Early Migration The first people to North America came from Asia, specifically snowbound Siberia. These people first came around 35000 B.C.E. and again another migration 10000 years after the first. Sea levels dropped drastically so much so that the Bering Strait became a broad, grassy plain. Across this land bridge humans and animals left icebound Siberia for ice-free Alaska. “This land bridge was known as Beringia. These early humans were following herds of animals that they hunted for food.” (Wikipedia, 2009). In a span of 25000 years these humans expanded throughout North, Central, and South America. Lifestyles The earliest humans to arrive in North America were hunter gatherers. They made a living in nomadic groups. They hunted mammoth, mastodon, elk, deer, primitive cattle, and other mammals. They were able to gather grasses, fruits, seeds, and edible plants. They gradually spread through North, Central, and South America. This movement took approximately 25000 years. American culture gradually diversified, it greatly sped up after 5500 B.C.E. when the peoples of central Mexico learned to cultivate crops. As the agricultural movement spread gradually northward, Native American societies grew larger and developed more socially, economic, and political organizations. About this time perhaps five to ten million people spoke around 1000 different languages. Gutierrez Map We see the Native Americans mostly depicted by a male holding a bow, another male holding a staff. There is another depiction showing them as taller and bigger than what I believe to be a European explorer. The map shows Native Americans in positions how the cartographer believes them to live. The map shows them to mainly live along the coasts of the Americas. The map also shows the temples of Central and South America as well as cannibal tribes. We can also see where there are mountains and rivers. The Natives appear to live very close to bodies of water. These may be rivers or the ocean this show that European exploration was correct by the addition of these different peoples. The Spanish and French and the French and English signed a treaty called Cateau Cambrésis. This can be seen by the closeness of the French and Spanish coat of Arms. This treaty ended the fighting in Europe in 1559. The position of the Portuguese coats of arms off the coast of Africa shows the domination of the Portuguese in the South Atlantic. Conclusion The Gutierrez map proves the exploration of early Europeans. We see here Spain’s domination in the New World; also we see the influence of the French and the dominance of Portugal in South America. This is especially true in the area of what is now Brazil. The first part of the paper shows the home here the humans left and the reason why. I then conclude where they eventually end their journey and the introduction of agriculture into their society. References Wikipedia. (2009). Models of migration to the New World. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Models_of_migration_to_the_New_World