California's First People, Lesson 1

California's First People

Lesson 1

Vocabulary

ice age

a period when the Earth’s climate became very cold, and ice covered much of Canada and northern Europe

glacier

• very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land

  
  

artifact

• tools, weapons, and other objects left behind by people of long ago

  
  

archaeologist

• a scientist who studies artifacts to learn about the people who used them

  
  

heritage

• the history and traditions that a group of people share

culture

• the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time

  
  

Multiple Choice

What was the ice age?

• a very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land

• a period when the Earth’s climate became very cold, and ice covered much of Canada and northern Europe

Multiple Choice

What is an archaeologist?

• tools, weapons, and other objects left behind by people of long ago

• a scientist who studies artifacts to learn about the people who used them

Multiple Choice

The history and traditions that a group of people share is called ______.

• history

• traditions

• heritage

• education

Multiple Choice

Which of the pictures is most likely to be an artifact?

Multiple Choice

The beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time:

• culture

• festivals

• holidays

• celebrations

Have there always been people in California?

Where did they come from?

Land Bridge Theory

Thousands of years ago, during the ice age, Earth’s climate became very cold. Huge sheets of thick ice called glaciers slowly covered Canada and northern Europe. 

With so much of the Earth’s water frozen, the sea levels lowered. This created a landbridge between the continents of Asia and North America.

Many scientists believe the first people in North America came across the land bridge from Asia, following the animals they hunted for food. 

Coastal Migration Theory

New evidence shows that the first Americans may have traveled from parts of Europe and Asia in boats, following the coastline.

California

Whether by foot or by boat, some of those who entered North America travelled to the area we now call the state of California.

Poll

If you lived 13,000 years ago, which route would you rather take?

• walk across the land bridge

• travel down the coast in a boat

California’s First People

Scientists learn about the past by studying artifacts. Artifacts are tools, weapons, and other objects left behind by people of long ago.

Archaeologists are scientists who find and study these objects. They examine the artifacts carefully to learn about the people who made them.  

Artifacts tell archaeologists that Native Americans have been living in North America for at least 12,000 years.

Long before European explorers sailed to North and South America, there were about 300,000 Native Americans living in 22 different tribes in California.

More than 135 different languages were spoken by California’s first people.

Different Ways of Life

• California’s Native Americans created at least 100 different cultures.

• Each group had its own crafts, customs, beliefs, and traditions.

Culture Areas

Geographers divide the 100 groups into six main regions called culture areas.

This means all the groups living in each area have cultures that are alike in some important ways.

The Six Culture Areas

• Northwestern

• Northeastern

• Central

• The Great Basin

• Southern

• Colorado River

Native Americans Today

• Native Americans from many different backgrounds believe it is very important to pass on their heritage.

• heritage = the history and traditions that a group of people share

Native Americans Today

Many Native American groups in California organize gatherings for their members and for other tribes. At these gatherings, the people wear traditional clothing, sing songs in the native languages, dance traditional dances, play instruments, and share food. 

At these meetings, often called pow wows, people come together to share and celebrate their culture.

Maybe you can go to one someday.

Chumash Pow Wow

50-Year Celebration