EP - Early Native American Cultures (Lesson)
Early Native American Cultures
Introduction
The history of Georgia’s prehistoric people has been analyzed thanks to the findings of archeologists and anthropologists. The first settlers in North America are believed to have been groups of people who traveled over a land bridge from Asia in what is now the the Bering Strait, a water passage between present-day Alaska and the continent of Asia. Scientists categorize the prehistoric people who settled in Georgia into four distinct groups based on their cultures and times in which they lived: Paleo, Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian.
Early Native American Cultures At a Glance
View the information below and be sure to review the resources in the Additional Module Resources document located at the beginning of this course.
Georgia is home to numerous archeological sites. Thanks to the team work of archeologists and anthropologists we have been able to discover key characteristics of these distinct civilizations by studying the numerous sites all around Georgia. You can view several of these sites in the presentation below.
Periods of Native American History
There are several periods to organize the vast history of the indigenous people of present-day Georgia and the southeastern United States. There are four periods:Paleo, Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian.
- Paleo: 12,000 – 10,000 b.c.e. (before common era.)
- Archaic: 10,000 b.c.e. - 3, 000 b.c.e.
- Woodlands: 3,000 b.c.e.- 1,000 c.e.
- Mississippian: 1,000 c.e. - 1540 c.e.
*The periods have some overlap.
The Paleo People
The Paleo people lived in the southeast from 12,000 b.c.e. until about 10,000 b.c.e. and hunted large mammals like bison and mammoths and wandered the forests in what is present-day North Georgia.They also hunted small game like white-tailed deer. They likely had a high degree of mobility (nomadic) and a low population density since they were hunter-gatherers who traveled the area in small groups of 20-50 people.
Archaic People
The Archaic people lived from 10,000 to 3,000 b.c.e. in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge areas of present-day Georgia. They were hunter-gatherers who lived in small groups (also called bands) of 20-50 people. The bands were nomadic (moved around throughout the year in search of food) and hunted white-tailed deer, black bears and turkeys and collected nuts, berries, seeds, fruits and roots.They caught turtles and fish, shellfish and birds and probably moved seasonally.They gathered with other groups of people in search of mates, share food and trade.They made tools and weapons of stone.
By about 5,000 b.c.e. the Archaic people lived in semi-permanent settlements near rivers like the Savannah River near present-day Augusta.
Woodland People
The Woodland people lived in the southeast from about 3,000 b.c.e. until about 1,000 b.c.e. These people likely experienced modern climatic conditions and would have seen forest animals much like we do today.
The Woodland people used pottery extensively and increased their use of wild plants (and eventually horticulture) for food sources.They developed more ceremonial activities and built more permanent settlements.The Woodlands people lived in present-day North Georgia, the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain and built burial mounds there.
Mississippian People
The Mississippian people lived from about 1000 c.e. until 1540 c.e. They continued the practice of building temple mounds and increased their ceremonial activities as well as political activity. There was a dramatic increase in the production of maize and other agricultural practices. By this point the people were largely sedentary and the settlements allowed for more densely populated centers near major rivers and valleys. These towns included mounds and defensive structures---and these centers were known as ‘chiefdoms. Examples of these centers are at present-day Etowah, Ocmulgee and Nacoochee.
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Review
Review what you've learned by completing the activity below.
As we move forward in time, you will see that the Mississippian people will have direct contact with European explorers. This interaction will have significant changes and disruptions to their daily life. It is important to study how their culture existed before the influence of European people, technology, and values. Please take the time to explore the virtual tour of the Creek Nation and its impact on Georgia. You can access the virtual tour in the Additional Module Resources page located at the beginning of this course.
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