September 25, 2024- Early Civilization

I will be able to:

Explain the theories of how early peoples arrived in the Americas.
Identify key migration routes and timelines for the peopling of the Americas.
Understand the significance of archaeological evidence and how it informs us about early human life in the Americas.

Vocabulary

Bering Land Bridge (Beringia):
- A landmass that connected Siberia in Asia to Alaska in North America during the last Ice Age, allowing early humans to migrate into the Americas.
Migration:
- The movement of people from one place to another. In this context, it refers to the movement of early humans into the Americas.
Ice Age:
- A period in Earth's history when large portions of the planet were covered in ice and glaciers, leading to lower sea levels and exposing land bridges like Beringia.
Clovis Culture:
- One of the earliest known Native American cultures, identified by distinctively shaped stone tools called Clovis points, dating back to around 13,000 years ago.
Clovis Points:
- A type of stone spearhead used by early Native Americans, particularly associated with the Clovis culture. These points are one of the key pieces of evidence for early human life in the Americas.
Pre-Clovis:
- Refers to cultures and archaeological evidence that predate the Clovis culture, suggesting that humans were present in the Americas before the Clovis period.
Archaeology:
- The study of human history through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains.
Artifacts:
- Objects made or used by humans, such as tools, pottery, or jewelry, that provide evidence of past human activities.
Paleo-Indians:
- The first peoples who inhabited the Americas during the final glacial episodes of the late Pleistocene period, including the ancestors of modern Native Americans.
Coastal Route Theory:
- A theory that early humans migrated into the Americas by traveling along the Pacific coastline in boats, possibly bypassing the ice-covered inland regions.
Monte Verde:
- An archaeological site in Chile that provides evidence of human habitation as early as 18,000 years ago, challenging the "Clovis-first" theory.
Solutrean Hypothesis:
- A controversial theory that suggests early Europeans from the Solutrean culture in present-day France and Spain may have crossed the Atlantic to settle in North America.
Ice-Free Corridor:
- A hypothesized pathway that opened between the ice sheets in North America, allowing early human migration from Beringia into the central and southern parts of the continent.
Genetic Evidence:
- The study of DNA to trace the ancestry and migration patterns of human populations. In this context, it refers to DNA analysis that helps understand the origins of Native Americans.
Pleistocene Epoch:
- The geological time period that lasted from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago, marked by several glaciations (Ice Ages) and the eventual migration of humans into the Americas.
Stratigraphy:
- A method used in archaeology to study the layers of earth (strata) where artifacts are found, helping to determine the age of archaeological sites.
Anthropology:
- The scientific study of humans, their ancestors, and related primates, focusing on human evolution, culture, and societies.
Fluted Points:
- A specific type of stone tool with grooves, commonly found in Clovis and other early Paleo-Indian cultures.
Indigenous:
- Native to a particular region or environment. In this context, it refers to the Native peoples of the Americas, who were the first inhabitants of the land.
Cultural Diffusion:
- The spread of cultural elements, such as tools, beliefs, or languages, from one society or region to another.

At home assignment:

Evidence Practice:

Early Civilization Reader (answer should be written on paper)
Mesopotamia Map Activity (answer should be written on paper)
What is Civilization Organizer (answer should be written on paper)
Option 1 - Matching and Multiple Choice Worksheets-Digital (Can be written on via device)
Option 2 - Migration Theories Organizer - Digital.pdf (Can be written on via device)
Option 3- Bering Land Bridge Activity - Question Sheets - Digital.pdf (Can be written on via device)

My Email: kashanna.walc@gmail.com

If you need your username and/or password please let me know.

Lesson Video