SAMPLE US History

Chapter 1: First Americans and Age of Exploration

Overview

This chapter presents the three primary theories on the origin of the initial human settlers of North America. After this, the Mesoamerican civilizations and the Pre-Columbian period are described. Lastly, explorers before Christopher Columbus are also identified. Learning Objectives

At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

● Enumerate the three primary theories on the origin of the First Americans ● Identify the three Mesoamerican civilizations ● Describe the Native-American life during the Pre-Columbian period A. Theories of the Americans

The Bering Land Bridge Theory, Atlantic Theory, and Oceania Theory are the three dominant theories about the origin of people who arrived in the Americas. 1. Beringia (Bering Land Bridge Theory) The Bering Land Bridge Theory proposes that the first humans who arrived in the Americas crossed a land bridge that once connected Siberia and Alaska during the last Ice Age, around 15,000 to 20,000 years ago. The Bering Land Bridge Theory is also supported by the discovery of Clovis spearheads in Clovis, New Mexico, North America. These spearheads are believed to be the earliest human-made tools in the region, used by the Clovis people around 13,000 years ago. While recent discoveries suggest earlier or multiple waves of migration, the Clovis spearheads remain significant evidence of the Bering Land Bridge Theory and early human history in the Americas. 2. The Atlantic Theory: The Solutreans The Atlantic Theory suggests that the Solutreans, who originated in France, Spain, and Portugal, may have crossed the Atlantic Ocean using boats and hugging the ice pack. Although very little evidence has been found to support this crossing, cave art discovered suggests that the Solutreans hunted seals and seabirds for survival. This theory proposes that the Solutreans crossed the Atlantic approximately 20,000 years ago. 3. The Oceania Theory (Paci ic Crossing Theory) The Pacific Crossing Theory, also referred to as the Oceania Theory today, posits that the earliest humans to arrive in the Americas might have traversed the Pacific Ocean, arriving in South America before migrating northward. This is currently the most accepted theory on how early people arrived in the Americas. This theory is based on several pieces of evidence, including linguistic, genetic,

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