Cn 3 AugusL 1492 Lhe lLallan advenLurer named ChrlsLopher Columbus seL sall from Spaln Lo flnd a new

way Lo Asla Pls alm was Lo open up a shorLer Lrade rouLe beLween Lhe Lwo conLlnenLs ln order Lo brlng
ln Lurope sllks splces goods
Cn CcLober 12
Lh
Columbus ashored on an low sandy lsland and he LhoughL he landed ln Lhe lndles 1he
land he dlscovered would be soon named by Lhe Luropeans Amerlca even Lhough Lhey wenL on calllng
lLs lnhablLanLs lndlans Cnly recenLly Lhe flrsL Amerlcans have been descrlbed as naLlve Amerlcans" or
Amerlndlans
1he Amerlndlans Lrlbes were scaLLered across Lhe grasslands and foresLs and had dlfferenL ways of llfe
some were hunLers some were farmers peaceful or warllke and spoke Lhree hundred separaLe
languages 1hese happened for many cenLurles Llll a more seLLled way of llfe began 1he flrsL Amerlcan
farmers were Lhe ones LhaL found a wlld grass wlLh Llny seeds LhaL were good Lo eaL(where ls Mexlco
now) 1hey culLlvaLed Lhe seeds and lL evenLually became lndlan corn 8y 3000 8C Amerldlnlans ln
Mexlco were growlng and eaLlng beans squash and peppers
1he ueblo people (Arlzona and new Mexlco Loday) were Lhe besL organlzed Lrlbe 1hey llved ln groups
of vlllages or ln Lowns whlch were bullL for safeLy on Lhe sldes and Lops of cllffs 1helr houses were
made of adobe (mud and sLraw) brlcks drled ln Lhe sun 1hey made Lhelr cloLhes and blankeLs from
coLLon whlch grew wlld ln Lhe surroundlng deserLs Cn Lhelr feeL Lhey wore booLshaped leaLher
moccaslns lrrlgaLlon made Lhem succesful as farmers because of Lhe bullL neLworks of canals across Lhe
deserLs Lo brlng waLer Lo Lhelr flelds( modern archaeologlsLs have Lraced canals and dlLches LhaL
lrrlgaLed 230000 acres of farmland)
1he apaches on conLrary wandered Lhe deserLs and mounLalns ln small bands hunLlng or raldlng Lhe
ueblo nelghbors 1hey were flerce and warllke
1he lroqouls were a naLlon" who llved ln Lhe woods of norLheasLern norLh Amerlca 1hey were skllled
farmers 1hey were also hunLers and flshermans uslng blrch bark canoes Lo sall along Lhe rlvers and
lakes of Lhelr foresL homeland 1hey llved ln huLs" a framework of sapllngs covered by sheeLs of elm
bark 1hey were flerce warrlors 8ravery ln Lhe baLLle was Lhe suresL way for a warrlor Lo wln respecL
and a hlgh poslLlon ln hls Lrlbe
lrom Lhe Mlsslsslppl rlver Lo Lhe 8ocky MounLalns Lhere was anoLher warrlor naLlon uakoLa whlch
meanL allles" or Sloux enemles" lrom cloLhlng Lo food and shelLer Lhey depended everyLhlng upon
Lhe buffalo LhaL were wanderlng across Lhe grasslands ln vasL herds 1hey lnvenLed Lhe Lepee(bullL
round a framework of abouL Lwelve sllm wooden poles LwenLy feeL long Lhe Lhln ends of Lhe poles
were Lled LogeLher wlLh forLy sLrlps of buffalo hldes LhaL were sewn LogeLher Lhen spread over Lhe
frame Lhelr ends fasLened Lo Lhe ground by pegs) LhaL for many people ls sLlll Lhe symbol of Lhe
Amerlndlans way of llfe 1he palnLlngs on Lhe ouLslde of Lhe Lepee had rellglous or hlsLorlcal meanlngs
1he llfesLyle of Lhe people of norLh Amerlca's norLhwesL coasL was dlfferenL agaln 1helr maln food was
flsh especlally salmon 1he abudance of Lhls klnd of food gave Lhe Lrlbes of Lhe aclflc Llme for feasLlng
carvlng and bullldlng 1he mosL lmporLanL carvlngs were on LoLem poles 1hese carvlngs were a record
of Lhe hlsLory of Lhe famlly LhaL llved ln Lhe house