Ancient America Before 1492

Civilization in America began during the last Ice Age when nomadic Paleo-Indians migrated across Beringia.

Paleo-Indians subsisted as small, mobile groups of big game hunters, traveling light and frequently to find new sources of food.

The peoples of the Great Basin area required ease of mobility to follow bison herds and gather seasonally available food supplies.

The mild climate and abundant natural resources along the Pacific Coast of North America allowed a complex aboriginal culture to flourish.

Eastern Woodland Culture refers to the way of life of indigenous peoples in the eastern part of North America between 1,000 BCE and 1,000 CE.

Environmental changes allowed for many cultural traditions to flourish and develop similar social structures and religious beliefs.

The Mexicas, or Aztecs, were one of the most powerful and advanced civilizations of the ancient world.

Many separate indigenous cultures developed and prospered in North America after the first waves of nomadic Paleo-Indians migrated to the continent across Beringia near the end of the Last Glacial Maximum.