Human Origins
This land bridge theory suggests early humans migrated from Asia to North America during the Ice Age.
What is the Bering Land Bridge?
This ancient civilization built impressive cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde
Who are the Ancestral Puebloans?
Plains tribes relied on hunting this massive animal for food, clothing, and tools.
What is the American bison?
These monumental wooden carvings serve as family emblems and record stories of lineage and legends
What are totem poles?
This highly valued material, made from polished shell beads, was used for trade and storytelling.
What is wampum?
This indigenous group of the Arctic region is known for their adaptation to extreme cold and reliance on hunting.
Who are the Inuit?
This dating method helps archaeologists determine the age of early artifacts, such as cave art and pictographs
What is radiocarbon dating?
This sacred, underground circular structure was used for spiritual and communal gatherings in Puebloan culture.
What is a kiva?
The introduction of this European animal in the 1500s revolutionized the mobility of Plains tribes.
What is the horse?
This ocean current helped provide a steady supply of marine resources to indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast.
What is the Japan Current?
This ancient earthwork, shaped like a coiling snake and aligned with the solstices, is one of the most famous indigenous sites in the Eastern Woodlands.
What is Serpent Mound?
This type of sculpture, often made from soapstone or ivory, is a defining art form of Inuit culture.
Animal sculptures
Recent discoveries suggest humans may have first arrived in North America up to this many years ago using coastal routes
What is 25,000–30,000 years ago?
This spiritual tradition of the Hopi people includes ceremonial dances and intricately carved dolls that teach cultural beliefs.
What is the Kachina tradition?
These decorated carrying cases, often painted with geometric designs, were used for storage and travel.
What are parfleches?
This is was the main dietary staple of the north west tribes.
salmon, they did also eat pine nuts
This prehistoric culture, known for constructing large ceremonial mounds, flourished in the Mississippi River Valley.
What is the Mississippian culture?
Traditional Inuit tattoos were created using this method.
What is skin-stitching? or stick and poke.
This massive ice sheet once covered much of northern North America, delaying human settlement until about 12,000 years ago.
What is the Laurentide Ice Sheet?
“This sacred Navajo art form involves creating intricate designs using colored sand and is part of healing ceremonies.
What is sand painting?
This portable dwelling made of wooden poles and hides became the primary shelter for nomadic Plains tribes
What is a tipi?
This architectural style of the Pacific Northwest features long wooden houses decorated with carved and painted motifs.
What are communal cedar houses?
Woodland tribes made pottery using locally sourced clay, often decorated with these types of patterns.
What are geometric and nature-inspired patterns?
Used in ceremonies and dances, these Yupik cultural artifacts were carved from driftwood and decorated with feathers, fur, and paint.
What are Yupik masks?
In addition to the land bridge, this alternative theory suggests humans migrated to North America by following coastlines.
What is the coastal migration route?
According to Navajo mythology, this mythical figure taught weaving and represents transformation in their culture
Who is Spider Woman?
This traditional craft, originally done with dyed porcupine quills, became even more elaborate after the introduction of European glass beads.
What is quillwork (or beadwork)?
The artistic technique of the Northwest coast peoples was characterized by bold, fluid formlines and abstracted imagery of what?
Animals
The first indigenous people in the Northeastern Woodlands are believed to have arrived after this major environmental event.
What is the retreat of the ice sheets (about 12,000 years ago)?
This 20th-century Inuit art form uses bold lines and flat colors to depict traditional stories and Arctic life.
What is Inuit printmaking?