Early South American Cultures

Early South American Cultures

By Lydia Bulmer

​How did early cultures adapt to the environment?

• 15,000 years ago the first people reached South America from the North.

• The cultures adapted to the different eco-systems

  • ​Tropical rainforests: people hunted, fished and gathered food from plants

  • In the hilly areas along the western coast (present day Chili) they ate shell fish and seals

  • In the pampas they hunted animals in the grasslands

​What were the cultures like?

• Each region, they had similar customs, knowledge and beliefs

• They each had similar ceremonies such as marriage, births and deaths

Multiple Select

Why did they rely on shellfish along the western coast?

• They could not go inland due to the mountain

• They live next to the coast

• They lived in a hot environment

• They lived in the mountains