8.1 Populating and Settling the Americas

Early humans migrated to the Americas via the Beringia land bridge and coastal routes. They spread across the continents, adapting to diverse environments as hunter-gatherers. This migration set the stage for the development of unique cultures and societies.

Agriculture emerged independently in several regions of the Americas, including Mesoamerica, South America, and North America. The domestication of crops like maize, potatoes, and squash led to sedentary lifestyles, population growth, and the rise of complex civilizations.

Early Human Migration and Settlement in the Americas

Migration routes to Americas

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• Beringia land bridge connected Siberia (Asia) to present-day Alaska (North America) during the last ice age (Pleistocene epoch) when sea levels were lower
• Coastal route followed the Pacific coast of North and South America enabling rapid movement and access to marine resources (fish, shellfish)
• Interior route opened up as the Laurentide and Cordilleran ice sheets receded allowing migration into the North American interior (Great Plains, Rocky Mountains)

Hunter-gatherers vs early farmers

• Hunter-gatherer societies relied on wild plants (berries, roots) and animals (deer, bison) for subsistence requiring a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle to follow seasonal food sources
  • Smaller population sizes maintained due to the carrying capacity of the environment
• Early agricultural societies domesticated plants and animals for food production
  • Allowed for sedentary lifestyles and permanent settlements (villages, towns)
  • Supported larger population sizes due to increased food security and surplus
  • Led to the development of complex social structures (chiefdoms, states) and specialization of labor (artisans, priests)

Development and Spread of Agriculture in the Americas

Spread of agriculture in Americas

• Mesoamerica
  1. Maize (corn) domestication began around 8000 BCE in the Balsas River Valley of Mexico
  2. Other crops domesticated: squash, beans, chili peppers, avocados
  3. Agricultural practices spread throughout Mesoamerica becoming the foundation for complex civilizations (Olmec, Maya, Aztec)
• South America
  1. Potato domestication began around 8000 BCE in the Andes Mountains
  2. Other crops domesticated: quinoa, peanuts, coca
  3. Agricultural practices spread throughout the Andean region supporting civilizations (Inca)
• Eastern North America
  1. Squash domestication began around 5000 BCE in the Mississippi River Valley
  2. Other crops domesticated: sunflower, goosefoot, marshelder
  3. Agricultural practices spread throughout the Eastern Woodlands supporting the development of the Mississippian culture (Cahokia)
• Southwestern North America
  1. Maize cultivation introduced from Mesoamerica began around 2100 BCE
  2. Other crops adopted: beans, squash, cotton
  3. Agricultural practices supported the development of the Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) culture (Chaco Canyon)

Transition from Nomadic to Sedentary Lifestyles

• Migration patterns: Early humans moved across landscapes in search of food and resources
• Nomadic lifestyle: Hunter-gatherers followed seasonal patterns of animal migrations and plant availability
• Sedentary communities: Emergence of permanent settlements due to agricultural advancements
• Domestication: Process of selectively breeding plants and animals for human use, leading to genetic changes over time
• Impact on society: Shift to agriculture allowed for population growth, social complexity, and cultural developments