Native Texans

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Native Texans
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Early Americans

• People came to North America from Asia about
  37,000 years ago following animal herds across
  the land bridge between present day Alaska and
  Russia.

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• These people are called prehistoric man.
  (Cavemen)
• There are 3 periods of prehistoric man
• Prehistoric before writing

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Paleo-Indian Period

• 12,000 years ago, man was nomadic. (people who
  move from place to place searching for food)
• Used flint tipped spears to mammoths or
  mastodons, giant buffalo, and other large
  mammals.
• During this time these giant animals died off.
  Most likely they were hunted to extinction or
  because of environmental change they disappeared.
• A skeleton of a woman found from this period near
  Midland is called Midland Minnie.

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Archaic Period

• Around 600 BC, man was nomadic
• People hunted smaller game such as buffalo, deer,
  and antelope and gathered food from plants.
• A man found from this period in Abilene is called
  Abilene Man.
• Man also began to domesticate dogs and teach them
  to hunt.

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Man had better weapons such as the atlatl (a
spear throwing stick.)
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Late Prehistoric Period

• 700 AD (Dark Ages in Europe)
• Some people started to live in villages.
• This was possible because of agriculture
  planting crops and taming some animals.

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• Used the bow and arrow to hunt buffalo, antelope,
  deer, and rabbits.

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The Importance of Agriculture

• Between 700AD and 1500AD agriculture developed in
  Texas by natives.
• Crops could be grown and stored in pottery so
  that not everyone had to work to produce food.
• Agriculture made it possible to live in one place
  and build villages and even cities.

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Great Civilizations of Mesoamerica

• More people lived in Mesoamerica (Central
  America) than North America.
• Scientist estimate that at the time of Columbus's
  arrival 12 million people lived north of what is
  now the U.S. Mexico border.
• Between the modern U.S. and Panama lived approx.
  35 million people
• Around 60 million inhabited the continent of
  South America and the Caribbean.

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• The Maya
• Among the people of Mesoamerica, the Maya are
  considered to be the most intellectually
  advanced.
• Discovered the Zero Cipher. (the use of the
  number 0) which was not introduced in Europe
  until the 13th Century.
• They made discoveries in architecture, astronomy,
  and calendar making.

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• The Maya developed a complex social structure
  with nobility, high priests, and a royal family.
• They are also the only Indian civilization with a
  complex written language.
• They had trade networks and built great pyramids.

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The Aztecs

• Also called the Mexica, ruled central Mexico
  around 1200 AD.
• They practiced human sacrifice to their Gods,
  built large pyramids and temples, and created
  many works of art.

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• Built a city called Tenochtitlan. Where Mexico
  City is now.
• (te-no-teach-lan)
• One of the most populous city in the world at
  the time of its discovery by Spanish explorers.

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