Prehistoric Native American Cultures

What is PREHISTORY?

History before there was written language

There was history before it was written down, but some societies just didn’t write

Native American societies were oral and have always been aware of their history, even without writing it down.

Three Phases of Prehistory in North

Carolina

Paleo-Indian PeriodArchaic PeriodWoodland Times (includes the Mississippian Culture)

Bering Strait Theory

During the last Ice Age (25,000-35,000 years ago) people began populating North America, coming across the Bering Strait from Asia

Around 14,000 years ago, North America was fully populated by people

How do we know about the people that lived before

history was recorded?They left items & the

items they left are discovered today in archeological sites.

Various levels of social organization among prehistoric Native

Americans

Paleo-Indian Period (14,000-12,000 Years

Ago)FamilyPeople lived in bands (20-35

people), with 2 or 3 extended families

Natural leadership developedThe social structure was based on

kinship and skills

Paleo-Indian Period

Way of LifeNomads who moved with the hunt

(mostly ate meat and hunted big game)The archeological sites left by these

people are few with few deposits, probably because they were nomads

In North Carolina, at least one Paleo-Indian site has been found in every county

Paleo-Indian Period

TechnologyOnly stone material is

found from this periodThey had some of the

finest tools in prehistoryProjectile points are

most of what is found (tips of spears, darts, lances, etc.)

Projectile Points & Arrow Heads

What are the differences?

Projectile points were created before arrow heads. Arrow

heads were not invented until around 4000 years ago

Projectile Points

and Arrowheads of North

Carolina

The end of the Ice Age causes changes

Global warming occurs between 12,000 & 10,000 years ago (it took about 2000 years)

It causes forests to change, thus food sources change

Something else key happens….

Culture evolves

Archaic Period (10,000-4,000 years ago)

FamilyBands got larger, containing 50-75 peopleTribes began to evolve consisting of

closely related bands of people tied together by kinship

Archaic Period (10,000-4,000 years ago)

Way of LifeThe archeological sites found from

this period are largerThe people are semi-sedentary, not

moving as much (they move with the seasons rather than the hunt)

They are still hunter-gatherers (nuts, berries, plant material)

Archaic Period

TechnologyPeople begin making tools, to make other tools.

They create more diverse and advanced tools such as: Grinding stones

Dishes Stone net sinkers

Fish hooks Awls (engraving tool)

Drills Scrapers

Atlatl (Spear thrower)