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Chapter 1
Roots of the American People
(Prehistory–1500)
What You Will Learn
Early people spread across the Americas and built three
great civilizations. As the Maya, Aztec, and Inca developed
in North America, trade linked Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Key Events
1095
The Pope calls
for the crusades
to begin.
1200s
The African
kingdom of Mali
rises.
1400s
The Aztecs
conquer most of
Mexico.
1500s
The Iroquois
League is
formed.
Chapter 1 Focus Question
As you read this chapter, keep this question in mind: How
did different cultures and traditions develop around the
world?
Section 1
The Earliest Americans
Section 1 Focus Question
How did early civilizations develop in the Americas? To
begin answering this question,
• Find out how people first came to the Americas.
• Learn how farming developed.
• Distinguish among the Mayas, the Aztecs, and the Incas.
Scientists believe that people first came to the Americas over
land from Asia. Among them were the people who became
the Mayas, the Aztecs, and the Incas.
The First Americans
When glaciers, or thick sheets of ice, covered much of the
world, ocean levels dropped, which exposed a land bridge
connecting Siberia and Alaska. Today these areas are
divided by a waterway called the Bering Strait. Many
scientists believe that people crossed the land bridge into
North America between 20,000 and 30,000 years ago. They
hunted large prehistoric animals and moved across North
and South America. Other scientists disagree with the landbridge theory. They think early peoples crossed the seas by
boat and then moved south along the Pacific coast.
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Unit 1 Chapter 1
Section 1
© Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Prentice Hall. All Rights Reserved.
Section 1 Summary
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Name the waterway that now
covers the ancient land bridge
between Siberia and Alaska.
_______________________________
Reading Strategy
Underline the sentence in the
bracketed paragraph that tells
what caused the
!
Aztecs’ control to
"
weaken. Circle the
%( #$
)*
sentence that tells
what effect this had.
'
Three Civilizations
The growth of cities led to civilizations, or advanced cultures
in which people have developed science and industries.
Between A.D. 250 and A.D. 900, the Mayas of Mexico and
Central America built temples, pyramids, and palaces. They
also developed a system of government and a written language. By studying the stars, the Mayas created an accurate
calendar. Around A.D. 900, they mysteriously abandoned
their cities.
As Mayan civilization declined, the Aztec civilization
was on the rise. The Aztecs built their capital city of
Tenochtitlán (tay noch tee TLAHN) on a group of islands in
the middle of a large lake. Dozens of temples arose from the
sacred city center. Religion dominated the Aztecs’ lives, and
they practiced human sacrifice to please their gods. After
defeating half of Mexico during the 1400s, the Aztecs made
people pay high taxes. People turned against them.
In the 1400s, the Incas built the world’s largest empire in
South America. Many roads linked Cuzco, the Inca capital,
to other cities. The Incas made huge stone buildings, as well
as canals and bridges suspended over canyons. Inca rulers
wore gold and silver jewelry. !
! Checkpoint
%&
© Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Prentice Hall. All Rights Reserved.
As larger animals disappeared, people changed from
hunting to gathering food. About 8,000 years ago, gatherers
in Mexico grew squash, lima beans, and many other plants.
The discovery of farming completely changed life. Families
could now settle in one place instead of constantly moving
in search of food. Farmers in dry areas developed irrigation,
a method to water crops by channeling water from rivers or
streams. They also raised livestock and traded their surplus,
or extra, food with others. With a steady food source, the
population grew. Cities arose and became centers of government and religion. !
! Checkpoint
List three early American
civilizations that developed in
Mexico, Central America, and
South America.
_______________________________
_______________________________
Check Your Progress
1. Why was the discovery of farming so important?
_ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _
_ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _
2. List one contribution from each of the three early American civilizations.
_ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _
_ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _ _ ___ _
Unit 1
Chapter 1 Section 1
3
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Section 1 Notetaking Study Guide
Question to Think About As you read Section 1 in your textbook and take
notes, keep this section focus question in mind: How did early civilizations
develop in the Americas?
! Use this chart to record key information from the section. Some information
has been filled in to get you started.
The Land Bridge
Why it existed: ___________________________________________________________
Bering Strait
What body of water covers it now: ____________________________________________
Places it linked: __________________________________________________________
When people crossed it: ____________________________________________________
between 20,000 and 30,000 years ago
Why it’s important: _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
How Early Civilizations Developed
Three Great Civilizations
People
Location
Accomplishments
Mayas
Aztecs
Incas
Refer to this page to answer the Chapter 1 Focus Question on page 15.
4
Unit 1 Chapter 1
Section 1
© Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Prentice Hall. All Rights Reserved.
1. Early people were hunters , following large animals. Eventually they spread across
_______________________________ and __________________________________ .
2. As ______________________ became extinct, people changed from hunting to
________________ food.
3. About _________________ years ago, gatherers in Mexico
began cultivating
_______________ and _________________, among other plants.
4. Farmers developed _____________________, a method to channel ______________
from rivers or streams. They also learned how to raise _________________________ .
5. With a dependable food supply, the __________________ grew. The Native Americans
were soon producing a surplus, or extra
food, that could be ________________
with others.
6. Some farming communities grew into_______________________________________.