Transcript Chapter 1 Life in the Western Hemisphere

Chapter 1
Life in the Western
Hemisphere
Migration to the Americas
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The early people migrated from Asia to the
Americas to look for food and/or a better way of
life by the Bering Strait.
Their way of life centered around hunting and
depended on wandering herds for food, shelter,
clothing and tools. They moved with the herds
and the seasons.
Once the larger animals died out, they hunted for
smaller animals, fish and gathered wild grains,
root vegetable, berries and nuts.
Agriculture made it possible for people to settle in
one place because instead of gathering grain,
they planted seeds.
Early American Cultures
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Mound builders built
burial places for
important chiefs and
to honor animal spirits
to hold religious
ceremonies.
The reason why the
Mound Builders built
such enormous
structures was
because they were
well organized.
Early American Cultures
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How did the Anasazi become
successful farmers in the
desert?
• The first people to use
irrigation (dug ditches to
carry water from streams to
crops in their fields).
• They were located in the
“Four Corners” (Utah,
Arizona, Colorado and New
Mexico).
• The Anasazi are also known
as the “Cliff Dwellers”
because they sometimes
carved houses into the sides
of cliffs.
• The Anasazi suddenly
abandoned their villages due
to what some historians
believe due toa drought, or a
long period without rain.
The Inuit “The People”
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The Inuit lived in what is today
Canada.
They developed the kayak, a light,
one-person boat that is used for
hunting and tranportation.
The Mayan Civilization
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What made the Mayas
extremely successful?
• They began to grow a surplus
of food, so they could
specialize in different things.
A surplus is more food than
they need.
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What was a result of the
Mayan having a food surplus?
• People could specialize and
develop a variety of skills;
resulting in a complex
civilization with many skills.
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What did the Mayans develop
by studying the movements
of the sun, moon, stars, and
planets?
• They developed an extremely
accurate calendar.
The Aztecs
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They created “floating
gardens”, carved
terraces into hillsides
with irrigation
systems.
The Aztecs extended
their borders from the
Atlantic to Pacific
Ocean by conquering
other people in the
Valley of Mexico.
They worshipped the
god of war.
The Incan Civilization
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The had a “speedy”
communication
system
They lived in South
America around the
Andes Mountains in
what is now present
day Peru.
Their roads linked to
the capital city
They were conquerors
like the Aztecs.