Studyguide SS Flashcards
What were some natural resources that were available to the Plain’s peoples?
Bison, the three sisters, sunflowers, tobacco
Explain the Bering Land Bridge Theory.
Historians believe that at one time the water was so low between Alaska and Asia/Russia
that hunter-gatherers could walk from there to the Americas.
Northeastern Woodlands House
wigwam or longhouse
Southeastern Woodlands House
houses on stilts or sticks covered with clay or mud
Great Plains House
tepees
Southwest House
adobe or red clay
Northwest House
large wooden houses with extended families
Arctic and Subarctic House
Igloos and maybe underground caves
Compare and contrast the natural resources in the Southeastern Woodlands and the Northeastern
Woodlands.
Southeastern winters were milder so they grew corn, beans, squash, tobacco, and
sunflowers; Northeastern grew the tree sisters, hunted, bison, and turkey, as well as fish.
Explain the lifestyle of North American hunter-gatherers.
generally nomadic, following animal migrations and spending most of their days looking
for food
Explain how the Arctic and Subarctic peoples adapted to the cold climate.
Hunted and gathered as much food as possible during the summer to be stored for winter,
they wore fur clothing, used seal and whale fat to make oil to heat their homes
What is unique about the Northwestern American Indians’ customs/traditions?
Families had totem poles that recorded important events and/or people; wealthy families
hosted a potlatch ceremony-a great feast in which gifts were given to guests
Why was slash-and-burn agriculture used in Mesoamerica?
Because the forest had poor soil and this allowed for the ash to fertilize the land.
How were the religious practices of the Mesoamericans similar?
All were polytheistic and participated in human sacrifice.
Who were the Olmecs and what is their connection to other Mesoamericans?
They lived on the Yucatan Penisula before any other civilizations, they used slash-and-burn
agriculture which allowed them to produce more food and the population grew, they built
cities that later civilizations used as a model.
What is unique about the Mayan cities?
they included hundreds of buildings and had paved causeways
Name at least 4 things that could be found in Maya cities.
temples, palaces, pyramids, plazas (open-air market), po-ta-pok court
What climate/geographic region is Maya found in?
dense rainforest on the Yucatan Penisula and modern-day Honduras, Guatemala, and
Belize
