Which environmental factors shape the cultures of the Archaic peoples of the eastern woodland?
What environmental factor shaped the cultures of the Archaic peoples of the Eastern Woodland? hunting deer. How did the diet and culture of Woodland peoples change around 4000 BP? Woodland cultures adopted limited forms of plant growing.
What characteristic was common across the many tribes inhabiting North America?
What characteristic was common across the many tribes inhabiting North America at the dawn of European colonization? Their cultures had developed in relation to their local natural environments.
Why did Hohokam settlements utilize irrigation canals?
The Hohokam were the only culture in North America to rely on irrigation canals to supply water to their crops. In the arid desert environment of the Salt and Gila River Valleys, the homeland of the Hohokam, there was not enough rainfall to grow crops.
Why did the Archaic cultures in the Southwest adopt agriculture?
Why did Archaic cultures in the Southwest adopt agriculture? The supply of wild plant food was highly unreliable. Why did native peoples in California remain hunters and gatherers for hundreds of years after Europeans arrived in the Western Hemisphere? Both land and ocean provided an abundant food supply.
What was the most densely settled area in all of ancient North America?
CaliforniaC. 1. The richness of the natural environment made present-day California the most densely settled and culturally diverse area in ancient North America.
What is the time frame that is believed to be when the first settlers arrived in the Western Hemisphere quizlet?
The Western Hemisphere had likely been discovered by Europeans and/or Africans prior to Columbus' discovery in 1492. The first time settlers who landed in Jamestown included too many farmers and laborers. Approximately 13% of the slves being transported over the "Middle Passage" died on the journey.
What was the Hohokam culture known for?
The Hohokam are probably most famous for their creation of extensive irrigation canals along the Salt and Gila rivers. In fact, the Hohokam had the largest and most complex irrigation systems of any culture in the New World north of Peru.
What kind of houses did the Hohokam lived in?
There are two types of Hohokam houses, pithouses and adobe houses. A pithouse is a house built into the ground. They dug a shallow hole 3 feet deep and then built the wall of the house. The walls and roof were made of vertical beams.
How did Hohokam adapt to their environment to farm?
The Hohokam grew their crops with the use of irrigation canals. They dug miles of canals in both the Salt and Gila River valleys using only stone tools, digging sticks, and baskets. With water from the rivers, they were able to grow corn, beans, squash, and cotton in the desert.
What are the most important features of the Archaic tradition?
The primary characteristic of Archaic cultures is a change in subsistence and lifestyle; their Paleo-Indian predecessors were highly nomadic, specialized hunters and gatherers who relied on a few species of wild plants and game, but Archaic peoples lived in larger groups, were sedentary for part of the year, and ...
What is the Archaic period known for?
Archaic period, in history and archaeology, the earliest phases of a culture; the term is most frequently used by art historians to denote the period of artistic development in Greece from about 650 to 480 bc, the date of the Persian sack of Athens.
What are the various features aspects characteristics of the Archaic era?
What are the various features/aspects/characteristics of the Archaic era? Food surpluses, trade networks, religious and political systems. What key development had to occur before southwestern populations could grow and expand? Maize farming had to be developed in order to battle droughts.
Who inhabited North America?
During the second half of the 20th Century, a consensus emerged among North American archaeologists that the Clovis people had been the first to reach the Americas, about 11,500 years ago. The ancestors of the Clovis were thought to have crossed a land bridge linking Siberia to Alaska during the last ice age.
How did the geographic setting of North America affect its subsequent history?
The geographic setting of North America affected its subsequent history by creating natural waterways and oceans between itself and other continents. This created very different and separate cultures.
Did nomadic tribes in America grew maize beans and squash?
Nomadic tribes in America grew maize, beans and squash. Native Americans in the Northwest built great burial mounds that can still be seen today. Native Americans in the Southwest used dry-land farming methods.
Which statement accurately describes the earliest stone tools found in North America?
Which statement accurately describes the earliest stone tools found in North America? They were similar to the tools found from the same period in Europe and Asia. Which statement explains the failure of Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest to adopt settled agriculture?
What were the Pueblo people's beliefs?
Ancestral Pueblo people in the western part of the Southwest were primarily dry or floodwater farmers, and developed a set of religious beliefs that emphasize the sacred importance of rain and concentrate an annual cycle of religious ritual on rain making.
What is an ancestral puebloan?
Ancestral Puebloan refers to the maize agriculturalists who lived across the northern Southwest from the beginnings of cultivation until the coming of the Spanish explorers in A.D. 1540. Cultural traits common to the Ancestral Puebloan peoples include heavy dependence on cultivated foods, the construction of pueblos (multi-room and at times, ...
What are the Hopi people?
The Hopi people, for example, are descendants of the Kayenta and Little Colorado branches of the Ancestral Pueblos, but also, of the Mesa Verde and perhaps Chaco branches.
Is the Pueblo a descendant of the Ancestral Pueblo?
There is no doubt that modern Pueblo people are the descendants of the Ancestral Pueblo people, although it is sometimes difficult to make specific linkages between the prehistoric cultural branches identified by archaeologists and modern tribes.
Why are traditional social and religious practices well understood for the western Pueblo peoples?
Traditional social and religious practices are fairly well understood for the western Pueblo peoples because distance and the rugged landscape... Each of the 70 or more Pueblo villages extant before Spanish colonization was politically autonomous, governed by a council composed of the heads of religious societies.
Where do the Pueblo people live?
Representative of the Southwest Indian culture area, most live in northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico. Early 21st-century population estimates indicated approximately 75,000 individuals of Pueblo descent. Pueblo peoples are thought to be the descendants of the prehistoric Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) culture.
What are the Pueblo people?
Pueblo peoples are thought to be the descendants of the prehistoric Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) culture. Just as there was considerable regional diversity among the Ancestral Puebloans, there is similar diversity, both cultural and linguistic, among the contemporary Pueblo peoples. Contemporary Puebloans are customarily described as belonging to either the eastern or the western division. The eastern Pueblo villages are in New Mexico along the Rio Grande and comprise groups who speak Tanoan and Keresan languages. Tanoan languages such as Tewa are distantly related to Uto-Aztecan, but Keresan has no known affinities. The western Pueblo villages include the Hopi villages of northern Arizona and the Zuni, Acoma, and Laguna villages, all in western New Mexico. Of the western Pueblo peoples, Acoma and Laguna speak Keresan; the Zuni speak Zuni, a language of Penutian affiliation; and the Hopi, with one exception, speak Hopi, a Uto-Aztecan language. The exception is the village of Hano, composed of Tewa refugees from the Rio Grande.
What were the Pueblo people's roles in the kivas?
Traditionally, Pueblo peoples were farmers, with the types of farming and associated traditions of property ownership varying among the groups.
What religion do Pueblo people practice?
Many Pueblo peoples continue to practice the kachina ( katsina) religion , a complex belief system in which hundreds of divine beings act as intermediaries between humans and God. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeff Wallenfeldt, Manager, Geography and History.
Why was farming less reliable in the western Puebloans?
Among the western Puebloans, especially the Hopi, farming was less reliable because there were few permanent water sources. Traditionally, women did most of the farming, but as hunting diminished in importance, men also became responsible for agricultural work.
When did the Pueblo Indians play a game?
Group of Pueblo Indians playing a game, 1890.
What is the Puebloan culture?
The Ancestral Puebloan culture is perhaps best known for the stone and earth dwellings its people built along cliff walls, particularly during the Pueblo II and Pueblo III era s, from about 900 to 1350 AD in total. The best-preserved examples of the stone dwellings are now protected within United States' national parks, such as Navajo National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, and Canyon de Chelly National Monument .
What is the Ancestral Pueblo known for?
Ancestral Puebloans are also known for their pottery. In general, pottery used for cooking or storage in the region was unpainted gray, either smooth or textured. Pottery used for more formal purposes was often more richly adorned. In the northern or "Anasazi" portion of the Ancestral Pueblo world, from about 500 to 1300 AD, the most common decorated pottery had black-painted designs on white or light gray backgrounds. Decoration is characterized by fine hatching, and contrasting colors are produced by the use of mineral-based paint on a chalky background. South of the Anasazi territory, in Mogollon settlements, pottery was more often hand-coiled, scraped, and polished, with red to brown coloring.
What was the purpose of the Chaco Road?
By the late 20th century, archeologists' assessments were helped by satellite images and photographs taken from plane flights over the area. Archaeologists suggested that the road's main purpose was to transport local and exotic goods to and from the canyon. The economic purpose of the Chaco road system is shown by the presence of luxury items at Pueblo Bonito and elsewhere in the canyon. Items such as macaws, turquoise, marine shells, which are not part of this environment, in addition to imported vessels distinguished by design, prove that the Chaco had long-distance commercial relations with other distant regions. The widespread use of timber in Chacoan constructions was based on a large and easy transportation system, as this resource is not locally available. Through analysis of various strontium isotopes, archaeologists have realized that much of the timber that composes Chacoan construction came from a number of distant mountain ranges, a finding that also supported the economic significance of the Chaco Road.
Why did the Pueblo population increase?
During the period from 700–1130 AD ( Pueblo I and II Eras ), a rapid increase in population was due to consistent and regular rainfall patterns supporting agriculture. Studies of skeletal remains show that this growth was due to increased fertility rather than decreased mortality. However, this tenfold increase in population over the course of a few generations could not be achieved by increased birthrate alone; likely, it also involved migrations of peoples from surrounding areas. Innovations such as pottery, food storage, and agriculture enabled this rapid growth. Over several decades, the Ancestral Puebloan culture spread across the landscape.
How many roads are there in Chaco Canyon?
Through satellite images and ground investigations, archaeologists have detected at least eight main roads that together run for more than 180 miles (300 km), and are more than 30 feet (10 m) wide. These were excavated into a smooth, leveled surface in the bedrock or created through the removal of vegetation and soil. The Ancestral Pueblo residents of Chaco Canyon cut large ramps and stairways into the cliff rock to connect the roadways on the ridgetops of the canyon to the sites on the valley bottoms.
How did environmental stress affect the Pueblo?
Environmental stress may have been reflected by changes in the social structure, leading to conflict and warfare. Near Kayenta, Arizona, Jonathan Haas of the Field Museum in Chicago has been studying a group of Ancestral Puebloan villages that relocated from the canyons to the high mesa tops during the late 13th century. Haas believes that the reason to move so far from water and arable land was a defense against enemies. He asserts that isolated communities relied on raiding for food and supplies, and that internal conflict and warfare became common in the 13th century.
What were the ancient towns and cities?
In their day, these ancient towns and cities were usually multistoried and multipurposed buildings surrounding open plazas and viewsheds. They were occupied by hundreds to thousands of Ancestral Pueblo peoples. These population complexes hosted cultural and civic events and infrastructure that supported a vast outlying region hundreds of miles away linked by transportation roadways.
What did the Cahokians use for their henges?
Experts believe that the Cahokians used woodhenges for
Who hunted the bison herds of the Great Plains?
Archaic Indians who hunted the bison herds of the Great Plains were
Did the people engage in trade with other tribes?
A. The people did not engage in trade with other tribes.
What did the savages stop eating?
A. They stopped eating wild plants, seeds, and nuts.
Can tribes get pottery?
A. Most tribes could not obtain pottery.
How did the Pueblo people shape their landscape?
Landscape: Ancient Puebloan people shaped their landscape in many ways. Ceremonial roads connected Chacoan villages among them and with important landmarks; staircases, like the famous Jackson Staircase, link the bottom of the canyon with the mesa top; irrigation systems provided water for farming and , finally , rock art , such as petroglyphs and pictographs, dots the rocky walls of many sites' surrounding, testifying to the ideology and religious beliefs of these peoples.
What did the Ancestral Puebloans make?
Pottery: Ancestral Puebloans crafted elegant vessels, in different shapes, such as bowls, cylindric vessels, and jars with distinct decorations typical of each Anasazi group. Motifs included both geometric elements as well as animals and humans usually portrayed in dark colors over a cream background, like the famous black-on-white ceramics.
What is the Anasazi culture?
Anasazi is the archaeological term used to describe prehistoric Puebloan peoples of the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. This term was used to distinguish their culture from other Southwestern groups like the Mogollon and Hohokam. A further distinction in Anasazi culture is made by archaeologists and historians between Western ...
What are the two main periods of Anasazi history?
The Anasazi prehistory is divided by archaeologists into two main time frames: Basketmaker (AD 200-750) and Pueblo (AD 750-1600/historic times). These periods span from the beginning of settled life until the Spanish takeover.
What were the structures of the Anasazi?
Anasazi constructed typical round or squared structures , called kivas, which were ceremonial rooms. Landscape: Ancient Puebloan people shaped their landscape in many ways.
What was the social organization of the Pueblo?
Social Organization. For most of the Archaic period, people living in the Southwest were foragers. By the beginning of the Common Era, cultivation was widespread and maize became one of the main staples. This period marks the emergence of the typical traits of Puebloan culture.
When did Puebloan cultures reach their peak?
Ancestral Puebloan cultures reached their maximum presence between AD 900 and 1130. During this period, the landscape of the entire Southwest was dotted by large and small villages constructed in adobe and stone bricks, built along the canyon walls, the mesa top or hanging over the cliffs.
What were the dwellings of the Pueblo?
The Pueblo III period was the time of the great cliff dwellings. These villages were built in sheltered recesses in the faces of cliffs but otherwise differed little from the masonry or adobe houses and villages built previously. Large, freestanding apartment-like structures were also built along canyons or mesa walls. In all of these settings, dwellings often consisted of two, three, or even four stories, generally built in stepped-back fashion so that the roofs of the lower rooms served as terraces for the rooms above. These structures had 20 to as many as 1,000 rooms. The population became concentrated in these large communities, and many smaller villages and hamlets were abandoned. Agriculture continued to be the main economic activity, and craftsmanship in pottery and weaving achieved its finest quality during this period.
What were the most important things about the Pueblo I period?
During the Pueblo I period most building shifted above ground, and a number of very large communities were built, some with more than 100 adjoining rooms. Stone masonry began to be used, and kivas, the underground circular chambers used henceforth primarily for ceremonial purposes, became important community features. Cotton was introduced as an agricultural product, pottery assumed a greater variety of shapes, finishes, and decorations, and basketry became less common. Throughout this period, the area of Ancestral Pueblo occupation continued to expand, and new communities began to be built in canyons in addition to the traditional mesa-top locations.
What are the stages of Pueblo prehistory?
The periods and their approximate dates are Late Basketmaker II ( ad 100–500), Basketmaker III (500–750), Pueblo I (750–950), Pueblo II (950–1150), Pueblo III (1150–1300), and Pueblo IV (1300–1600). When the first cultural time lines of the American Southwest were created in the early 20th century, scientists included a Basketmaker I stage. They created this hypothetical period in anticipation of finding evidence for the earliest stages of the transition from hunting and gathering economies to fully agricultural societies. By the late 20th century archaeologists had concluded that Basketmaker II peoples had actually filled that role. Rather than renaming Basketmaker II and III to reflect this understanding of the evidence, Basketmaker I was generally eliminated from regional time lines, although some scientific discussions about its role in regional chronologies continued in the early 21st century.
What was the difference between Pueblo I and II?
While many Pueblo I communities were quite large, the Pueblo II period is characterized by a greater diversity of settlements; small hamlets and villages began to be built in addition to the large communities, or “great houses,” that were typical of Pueblo I. Kivas also became more diverse; some were built in towers, while others were built much larger than before.
How many people were in the Pueblo in the 21st century?
Taos Pueblo, N.M., with domed oven in the foreground. Pueblo descendants numbered some 75,000 individuals in the early 21st century.
What tribes were in the Ancestral Pueblo?
The descendents of the Ancestral Pueblo comprise the modern Pueblo tribes, including the Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, and Laguna. As farmers, Ancestral Pueblo peoples and their nomadic neighbours were often mutually hostile; this is the source of the term Anasazi, a Navajo word meaning “ancestors of the enemy,” which once served as ...
When did the Pueblo tribes begin?
The history of the modern Pueblo tribes is usually dated from approximately 1600 onward, as Spanish colonial occupation of the North American Southwest began in 1598.
Overview
The Ancestral Puebloans, also known as the Anasazi, were an ancient Native American culture that spanned the present-day Four Corners region of the United States, comprising southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southwestern Colorado. They are believed to have developed, at least in part, from the Oshara tradition, which developed from the Picosa culture. …
Etymology
Pueblo, which means "village" and "people" in Spanish, was a term originating with the Spanish explorers who used it to refer to the people's particular style of dwelling. The Navajo people, who now reside in parts of former Pueblo territory, referred to the ancient people as Anaasází, an exonym meaning "ancestors of our enemies", referring to their competition with the Pueblo peoples. The Navajo now use the term in the sense of referring to "ancient people" or "ancient on…
Geography
The Ancestral Puebloans were one of four major prehistoric archaeological traditions recognized in the American Southwest, also known as Oasisamerica. The others are the Mogollon, Hohokam, and Patayan. In relation to neighboring cultures, the Ancestral Puebloans occupied the northeast quadrant of the area. The Ancestral Puebloan homeland centers on the Colorado Plateau, but extends from central New Mexico on the east to southern Nevada on the west.
Cultural characteristics
The Ancestral Puebloan culture is perhaps best known for the stone and earth dwellings its people built along cliff walls, particularly during the Pueblo II and Pueblo III eras, from about 900 to 1350 CE in total. The best-preserved examples of the stone dwellings are now protected within United States' national parks, such as Navajo National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Aztec R…
Architecture
Ancestral Pueblo people in the North American Southwest crafted a unique architecture with planned community spaces. Population centers such as Chaco Canyon (outside Crownpoint, New Mexico), Mesa Verde (near Cortez, Colorado), and Bandelier National Monument (near Los Alamos, New Mexico) have brought renown to the Ancestral Pueblo peoples. They consisted of apartment complexes and structures made of stone, adobe mud, and other local material, or were carved in…
Ceremonial infrastructure
One of the most notable aspects of Ancestral Puebloan infrastructure is the Chaco Road at Chaco Canyon, a system of roads radiating from many great house sites such as Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl, and Una Vida. They led toward small outlier sites and natural features in the canyon and outside.
Through satellite images and ground investigations, archaeologists have found eight main road…
Cliff communities
Throughout the southwest Ancestral Puebloan region, the inhabitants built complexes in shallow caves and under rock overhangs in canyon walls. Unlike earlier structures and villages atop mesas, this was a regional 13th-century trend of gathering the growing populations into close, defensible quarters. There were buildings for housing, defense, and storage. These were built mostly of blocks of hard sandstone, held together and plastered with adobe mortar. Constructions had ma…
History
During the period from 700 to 1130 CE (Pueblo I and II Eras), the population grew fast due to consistent and regular rainfall which supported agriculture. Studies of skeletal remains show increased fertility rather than decreased mortality. However, this tenfold population increase over a few generations was probably also due to migrations of people from surrounding areas. Innovations such as pottery, food storage, and agriculture enabled this rapid growth. Over sever…