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Classification of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

Map showing the traditional cultural areas of indigenous peoples in North America.

The Indigenous peoples of the Americas have many different groups, each with their own languages, traditions, and ways of life. People have tried to sort these groups into bigger areas called cultural regions. These areas are based on where the groups lived when Europeans and Africans first arrived in the late 1500s. Even if a group was moved far away by governments, they are still linked to the place where their ancestors lived long ago.

Some groups live in more than one cultural region, showing how connected these areas can be. Besides geography, people also look at things like family ties, tools and technology, and how groups organize themselves to understand these wonderful cultures better. Learning about these groups helps us appreciate the rich history and diversity of the Americas.

Canada, Greenland, United States, and northern Mexico

In the United States and Canada, scholars often group Indigenous peoples into ten areas based on where they live and share similar traditions, called cultural areas. Greenland is part of the Arctic region. Some experts combine certain areas, while others separate them into smaller groups.

Arctic

Subarctic

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Subarctic

Pacific Northwest coast

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast

Of the Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast, it is widely agreed upon by scholars that that the area north of the Haisla represents a cultural subarea, called the "Northern" or "Northern Maritime" area. However, south of this, there is a deal of disagreement on the existence of any subareas, especially south of Vancouver Island. For the purposes of organization, south of the Northern subarea, tribes are grouped by language family.

Northern subarea

Wakashan

Nuxalk (Salishan)

Coast Salish peoples
Northern Coast Salish

Central Coast Salish

Southern Coast Salish

Southwestern Coast Salish

Chimakuan

Chinookans

Oregon Salish

Alseans

Siuslawans

Coosans

Kalapuyans

Athabaskans

Northwest Plateau

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Plateau

Great Plains

Main article: Plains Indians

Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains are often separated into Northern and Southern Plains tribes.

Eastern Woodlands

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands

Northeastern Woodlands

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands

Southeastern Woodlands

Further information: Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands and Indigenous peoples of Florida

Most of these no longer exist as tribes.

  • Acolapissa (Colapissa), Louisiana and Mississippi
  • Ais, eastern coastal Florida
  • Alafay (Alafia, Pojoy, Pohoy, Costas Alafeyes, Alafaya Costas), Florida
  • Amacano, Florida west coast
  • Apalachee, northwestern Florida
  • Atakapa (Attacapa), Louisiana west coast and Texas southwestern coast
  • Avoyel ("little Natchez"), Louisiana
  • Bayogoula, southeastern Louisiana
  • Biloxi, formerly Mississippi, currently Louisiana
  • Caddo Confederacy, formerly Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, currently Oklahoma
  • Calusa, southwestern Florida
  • Cape Fear Indians, North Carolina southern coast
  • Capinan (Capina, Moctobi), Mississippi
  • Catawba (Esaw, Usheree, Ushery, Yssa), North Carolina, currently South Carolina
  • Chacato (Chatot, Chactoo), Florida panhandle, later southern Alabama and Mississippi, then Louisiana
  • Chakchiuma, Alabama and Mississippi, merged into Chickasaw, currently Oklahoma
  • Chawasha (Washa), Louisiana
  • Cheraw (Chara, Charàh), North Carolina
  • Cherokee, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, later Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, northern Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Mexico, and currently North Carolina and Oklahoma
  • Chickanee (Chiquini), North Carolina
  • Chickasaw, Alabama and Mississippi, currently Oklahoma
  • Chicora, coastal South Carolina
  • Chine, Florida
  • Chisca (Cisca), southwestern Virginia later in Florida
  • Chitimacha, currently Louisiana
  • Choctaw, formerly Alabama; currently Mississippi, Louisiana, and Oklahoma
  • Chowanoc (Chowanoke), North Carolina
  • Congaree (Canggaree), South Carolina
  • Coree, North Carolina
  • Croatan, North Carolina
  • Cusabo, coastal South Carolina
  • Eno, North Carolina
  • Grigra (Gris), Mississippi
  • Guacata (Santalûces), eastern coastal Florida
  • Guacozo, Florida
  • Guale (Cusabo, Iguaja, Ybaja), coastal Georgia
  • Guazoco, southwestern Florida coast
  • Houma, Louisiana and Mississippi
  • Jaega (Jobe), eastern coastal Florida
  • Jaupin (Weapemoc), North Carolina
  • Jororo, Florida interior
  • Keyauwee, North Carolina
  • Koasati (Coushatta), formerly eastern Tennessee, currently Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas
  • Koroa, Mississippi
  • Luca, southwestern Florida coast
  • Lumbee, currently North Carolina
  • Machapunga, North Carolina
  • Matecumbe (Matacumbêses, Matacumbe, Matacombe), Florida Keys
  • Mayaca, Florida
  • Mayaimi (Mayami), interior Florida
  • Mayajuaca, Florida
  • Mikasuki (Miccosukee), currently Florida
  • Mobila (Mobile, Movila), northwestern Florida and southern Alabama
  • Mocoso, western Florida
  • Mougoulacha, Mississippi
  • Muscogee (Creek), Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida; currently Oklahoma and Alabama
    • Abihka, Alabama, currently Oklahoma
    • Alabama, formerly Alabama, southwestern Tennessee, and northwestern Mississippi, currently Oklahoma and Texas
      • Pakana (Pacâni, Pagna, Pasquenan, Pak-ká-na, Pacanas), central Alabama, later Texas
    • Apalachicola Province, (Lower Towns of the Muscogee (Creek) Confederacy), Alabama and Georgia
      • Apalachicola (town), Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina
      • Hitchiti, Alabama and Georgia
      • Oconee, Alabama and Georgia
      • Sabacola (Sawakola, Sabacôla, Savacola, Sawokli), Alabama and Georgia
    • Chiaha, Creek Confederacy, Alabama
    • Eufaula tribe, Georgia, currently Oklahoma
    • Kialegee Tribal Town, Alabama, currently Oklahoma
    • Osochee (Osochi, Oswichee, Usachi, Oosécha), Creek Confederacy, Alabama
    • Talapoosa, Creek Confederacy, Alabama
    • Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Alabama, Georgia, currently Oklahoma
    • Tukabatchee, Muscogee Creek Confederacy, Alabama
  • Naniaba, northwestern Florida and southern Alabama
  • Natchez, Louisiana and Mississippi currently Oklahoma
  • Neusiok (Newasiwac, Neuse River Indians), North Carolina
  • Norwood culture, Apalachee region, Florida, c. 12,000–4500 BCE
  • Mosopelea (Ofo), Arkansas and Mississippi, eastern Tennessee, currently Louisiana
  • Okchai (Ogchay), central Alabama
  • Okelousa, Louisiana
  • Opelousas, Louisiana
  • Pacara, Florida
  • Pamlico, North Carolina
  • Pascagoula, Mississippi coast
  • Pee Dee (Pedee), South Carolina and North Carolina
  • Pensacola, Florida panhandle and southern Alabama
  • Potoskeet, North Carolina
  • Quinipissa, southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi
  • Roanoke, North Carolina
  • Saluda (Saludee, Saruti), South Carolina
  • Santee (Seretee, Sarati, Sati, Sattees), South Carolina (no relation to Santee Sioux), South Carolina
  • Santa Luces, Florida
  • Saponi, North Carolina, Virginia, later Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario
  • Saura, North Carolina
  • Saxapahaw (Sissipahaw, Sissipahua, Shacioes), North Carolina
  • Secotan, North Carolina
  • Seminole, currently Florida and Oklahoma
  • Sewee (Suye, Joye, Xoye, Soya), South Carolina coast
  • Shakori, North Carolina
  • Shoccoree (Haw), North Carolina, possibly Virginia
  • Sissipahaw, North Carolina
  • Sugeree (Sagarees, Sugaws, Sugar, Succa), North Carolina and South Carolina
  • Surruque, east-central Florida
  • Suteree (Sitteree, Sutarees, Sataree), North Carolina
  • Taensa, Mississippi
  • Taposa, Mississippi
  • Tawasa, Alabama
  • Tequesta, southeastern coastal Florida
  • Timucua, Florida and Georgia
    • Acuera, central Florida
    • Agua Fresca (or Agua Dulce or Freshwater), interior northeast Florida
    • Arapaha, north-central Florida and south-central Georgia?
    • Cascangue, coastal southeast Georgia
    • Icafui (Icafi), coastal southeast Georgia
    • Mocama (Tacatacuru), coastal northeast Florida and coastal southeast Georgia
    • Northern Utina north-central Florida
    • Ocale, central Florida
    • Oconi, interior southeast Georgia
    • Potano, north-central Florida
    • Saturiwa, northeast Florida
    • Tacatacuru, coastal southeast Georgia
    • Tucururu (or Tucuru), Florida
    • Utina (or Eastern Utina), northeast-central Florida
    • Yufera, coastal southeast Georgia
    • Yui (Ibi), coastal southeast Georgia
    • Yustaga, north-central Florida
  • Taposa, Mississippi
  • Tiou (Tioux), Mississippi
  • Tocaste, Florida
  • Tocobaga, Florida
  • Tohomé, northwestern Florida and southern Alabama
  • Tomahitan, eastern Tennessee
  • Topachula, Florida
  • Tunica, Arkansas and Mississippi, currently Louisiana
  • Utiza, Florida
  • Uzita, Tampa Bay, Florida
  • Vicela, Florida
  • Viscaynos, Florida
  • Waccamaw, North Carolina, South Carolina
  • Wateree (Guatari, Watterees), North Carolina
  • Waxhaw (Waxsaws, Wisack, Wisacky, Weesock, Flathead), North Carolina and South Carolina
  • Westo, Virginia and South Carolina, extinct
  • Winyah, South Carolina coast
  • Woccon, North Carolina
  • Yamasee, Florida, Georgia
  • Yazoo, southeastern tip of Arkansas, eastern Louisiana, Mississippi
  • Yuchi (Euchee), central Tennessee, later northwest Georgia, currently Oklahoma

Great Basin

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin

California

Main article: Indigenous peoples of California

Nota bene: The California cultural area does not exactly conform to the state of California's boundaries, and many tribes on the eastern border with Nevada are classified as Great Basin tribes and some tribes on the Oregon border are classified as Plateau tribes.

Southwest

Main articles: Indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest and Oasisamerica

This region is also called "Oasisamerica" and includes parts of what is now Arizona, Southern Colorado, New Mexico, Western Texas, Southern Utah, Chihuahua, and Sonora

Great Basin

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin

California

Main article: Indigenous peoples of California

Nota bene: The California cultural area does not exactly conform to the state of California's boundaries, and many tribes on the eastern border with Nevada are classified as Great Basin tribes and some tribes on the Oregon border are classified as Plateau tribes.

Southwest

Main articles: Indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest and Oasisamerica

This region is also called "Oasisamerica" and includes parts of what is now Arizona, Southern Colorado, New Mexico, Western Texas, Southern Utah, Chihuahua, and Sonora

Great Basin

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin

Early Indigenous languages in Alaska

California

Main article: Indigenous peoples of California

Nota bene: The California cultural area does not exactly conform to the state of California's boundaries, and many tribes on the eastern border with Nevada are classified as Great Basin tribes and some tribes on the Oregon border are classified as Plateau tribes.

Southwest

Main articles: Indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest and Oasisamerica

This region is also called "Oasisamerica" and includes parts of what is now Arizona, Southern Colorado, New Mexico, Western Texas, Southern Utah, Chihuahua, and Sonora

Great Basin

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin

California

Main article: Indigenous peoples of California

Nota bene: The California cultural area does not exactly conform to the state of California's boundaries, and many tribes on the eastern border with Nevada are classified as Great Basin tribes and some tribes on the Oregon border are classified as Plateau tribes.

Southwest

Main articles: Indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest and Oasisamerica

This region is also called "Oasisamerica" and includes parts of what is now Arizona, Southern Colorado, New Mexico, Western Texas, Southern Utah, Chihuahua, and Sonora

Great Basin

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin

Return only the adapted Markdown section. No explanation, no preamble.### Great Basin

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin

Mexico and Mesoamerica

The regions of Oasisamerica, Aridoamerica, and Mesoamerica cover many countries and their borders overlap.

Aridoamerica

Main article: Aridoamerica

Aridoamerica includes many groups such as the Acaxee, Aranama, Coahuiltecan, Chichimeca, Cochimí, Cocopa, and Huichol. These groups lived in areas like Texas, northern Mexico, Baja California, and other nearby regions.

Map of Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica is home to groups like the Amuzgos, Nahua, Chatinos, Cora people, Huastec, Huave, Lenca, and the Maya. The Maya lived in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, and had many smaller groups within their culture, such as the Itzá, Lacandon, Mopan, and Yucatec Maya. Other groups in this area included the Mazatec, Mixe, Mixtec, Olmec, Pipil, Purépecha, and many more.

Circum-Caribbean

Further information: Isthmo-Colombian Area

Partially organized per Handbook of South American Indians.

Caribbean

Anthropologist Julian Steward described the Antilles cultural area, which includes all of the Antilles and Bahamas, except for Trinidad and Tobago.

Cultural regions of South and Central America at the time of contact (in Spanish)

Central America

The Central American culture area includes part of El Salvador, most of Honduras, all of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, and some peoples on or near the Pacific coasts of Colombia and Ecuador.

Colombia and Venezuela

The Colombia and Venezuela culture area includes most of Colombia and Venezuela. Southern Colombia is in the Andean culture area, as are some peoples of central and northeastern Colombia, who are surrounded by peoples of the Colombia and Venezuela culture. Eastern Venezuela is in the Guianas culture area, and southeastern Colombia and southwestern Venezuela are in the Amazonia culture area.

  • Abibe, northwestern Colombia
  • Aburrá, central Colombia
  • Achagua (Axagua), eastern Colombia, western Venezuela
  • Agual, western Colombia
  • Amaní, central Colombia
  • Ancerma, western Colombia
  • Andaqui (Andaki), Huila Department, Colombia
  • Andoque, Andoke, southeastern Colombia
  • Antiochia, Colombia
  • Arbi, western Colombia
  • Arma, western Colombia
  • Atunceta, western Colombia
  • Auracana, northeastern Colombia
  • Buriticá, western Colombia
  • Caquetio, western Venezuela
  • Calamari, northwestern Colombia
  • Calima culture, western Colombia, 200 BCE–400 CE
  • Caramanta, western Columbia
  • Carate, northeastern Colombia
  • Carare, northeastern Colombia
  • Carex, northwestern Colombia
  • Cari, western Colombia
  • Carrapa, western Colombia
  • Cartama, western Colombia
  • Cauca, western Colombia
  • Corbago, northeastern Colombia
  • Cosina, northeastern Colombia
  • Catio, northwestern Colombia
  • Cenú, northwestern Colombia
  • Cenufaná, northwestern Colombia
  • Chanco, western Colombia
  • Coanoa, northeastern Colombia
  • Cuiba, east Colombia west Venezuela
  • Cuica, western Venezuela
  • Cumanagoto, eastern Venezuela
  • Evéjito, western Colombia
  • Fincenú, northwestern Colombia
  • Gorrón, western Colombia
  • Guahibo (Guajibo), eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela
  • Guambía, western Colombia
  • Guanes, Colombia, pre-Columbian culture
  • Guanebucan, northeastern Colombia
  • Guazuzú, northwestern Colombia
  • Hiwi, western Colombia, eastern Venezuela
  • Jamundí, western Colombia
  • Kari'ña, eastern Venezuela
  • Kogi, northern Colombia
  • Lile, western Colombia
  • Lache, central Colombia
  • Mariche, central Venezuela
  • Mompox, northwestern Colombia
  • Motilone, northeastern Colombia and western Venezuela
  • Naura, central Colombia
  • Nauracota, central Colombia
  • Noanamá (Waunana, Huaunana, Woun Meu), northwestern Colombia and Panama
  • Nutabé, northwestern Colombia
  • Opón, northeastern Colombia
  • Pacabueye, northwestern Colombia
  • Pancenú, northwestern Colombia
  • Patángoro, central Colombia
  • Paucura, western Colombia
  • Pemed, northwestern Colombia
  • Pequi people, western Colombia
  • Picara people, western Colombia
  • Pozo, western Colombia
  • Pumé (Yaruro), Venezuela
  • Quimbaya, central Colombia, 4th–7th centuries CE
  • Quinchia, western Colombia
  • Sutagao, central Colombian
  • Tahamí, northwestern Colombia
  • Tairona, northern Colombia, pre-Columbian culture, 1st–11th centuries CE
  • Tamalameque, northwestern Colombia
  • Mariche, central Venezuela
  • Timba, western Colombia
  • Timote, western Venezuela
  • Tinigua, Caquetá Department, Colombia
  • Tolú, northwestern Colombia
  • Toro, western Colombia
  • Tupe, northeastern Colombia
  • Turbaco people, northwestern Colombia
  • Urabá, northwestern Colombia
  • Urezo, northwestern Colombia
  • U'wa, eastern Colombia, western Venezuela
  • Waikerí, eastern Venezuela
  • Wayuu (Wayu, Wayúu, Guajiro, Wahiro), northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela
  • Wirö (Mako, Itoto, Marueta, or Jojod), western Venezuela and northeastern Colombia
  • Xiriguana, northeastern Colombia
  • Yamicí, northwestern Colombia
  • Yapel, northwestern Colombia
  • Yarigui, northeastern Colombia
  • Yukpa, Yuko, northeastern Colombia
  • Zamyrua, northeastern Colombia
  • Zendagua, northwestern Colombia
  • Zenú, northwestern Colombia, pre-Columbian culture, 200 BCE–1600 CE
  • Zopia, western Colombia

Guianas

This area includes parts of Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. It also covers areas in the Amazonas, Amapá, Pará, and Roraima regions of Brazil.

Many different groups of people lived here, each with their own language and traditions. Some of these groups include the Acuria, Akawaio, Arhuaco, Auaké, Baniwa, Baré, Carib, Chaima, Cumanagoto, Hixkaryána, Hodï, Ingarikó, Jaoi, Kali'na, Lokono, Macushi, Maipure, Mapoyo, Marawan, Orealla, Palikur, Patamona, Pemon, Piapoco, Piaroa, Sanumá, Shebayo, Sikiana, Tamanaco, Tiriyó, Wai-Wai, Wapishana, Warao, Wayana, Ya̧nomamö, and Ye'kuana.

Eastern Brazil

This region includes parts of the Ceará, Goiás, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, and Santa Catarina states of Brazil. Many different groups of Indigenous people lived here long ago, each with their own language and traditions. Some of these groups include the Apinajé, Arara, Atikum, Bororo, Botocudo, Guató, Kadiwéu, Kaingang, Karajá, Kaxixó, Kayapo, Ofayé, Parakatêjê, Pataxó, Potiguara, Tabajara, Tapirapé, Terena, Tupiniquim, Umutina, Xakriabá, Xavánte, Xerénte, and Xucuru. These groups had their own ways of life and stories, contributing to the rich history of the area.

Andes

Main article: Andes § Human activity

The Andes region has many groups of people who lived there long ago. Some of these groups include the Awa-Kwaiker in northern Ecuador and southern Colombia, the Aymara in Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, and the big Inca Empire that was based in Peru. There were also many smaller cultures and traditions, like the Capulí culture in Ecuador and the Tiwanaku culture in Bolivia.

Other groups lived along the Pacific coast and lowlands. These include the Atacameño in Chile, the Chimú in northern coastal Peru, and the Nazca culture in southern coastal Peru. Each of these groups had their own ways of living and traditions.

Amazon

Main article: Amazon basin

Northwestern Amazon

This region includes Amazonas in Brazil; the Amazonas and Putumayo Departments in Colombia; Cotopaxi, Los Rios, Morona-Santiago, Napo, and Pastaza Provinces and the Oriente Region in Ecuador; and the Loreto Region in Peru.

Eastern Amazon

This region includes Amazonas, Maranhão, and parts of Pará States in Brazil.

Southern Amazon

This region includes southern Brazil (Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, parts of Pará, and Rondônia) and Eastern Bolivia (Beni Department).

Southwestern Amazon

This region includes the Cuzco, Huánuco Junín, Loreto, Madre de Dios, and Ucayali Regions of eastern Peru, parts of Acre, Amazonas, and Rondônia, Brazil, and parts of the La Paz and Beni Departments of Bolivia.

Gran Chaco

Main article: Gran Chaco

Approximate region of the Gran Chaco

The Gran Chaco is a large area that includes parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. Many groups of Indigenous people have lived in this region for a very long time. Some of these groups include the Abipón, Ayoreo, Chamacoco, Chané, Chiquitano, Chorote, Guana, Guaraní, Guaycuru peoples, Kaiwá, Lengua people, Lulé, Maká, Nivaclé, Sanapaná, Vilela, and Wichí.

Southern Cone

Main article: Southern Cone

Patagonian languages at the time of European/African contact

The Southern Cone is a region at the bottom of South America. Many different groups of Indigenous people lived there long before Europeans arrived. Some of these groups have special names, like the Aché in Paraguay or the Mapuche in parts of Argentina and Chile. Others, like the Chaná, are no longer around today.

Some groups lived near the water, such as the Yaghan near Cape Horn and the Falkland Islands. Each of these groups had their own ways of living and speaking, making the Southern Cone a place of rich cultural history.

Languages

Main article: Indigenous languages of the Americas

The Indigenous languages of the Americas, also called Amerindian languages, are spoken by Indigenous peoples from the southern tip of South America up to Alaska and Greenland. These languages include many different groups, called language families, as well as some languages that do not fit into any family. According to UNESCO, many of these languages in North America are in danger of disappearing, and some have already been lost.

Writing

Before Europeans arrived, many Indigenous peoples in North America used symbols to share ideas. For example, the Anishinaabewibii'iganan (Ojibwe) created special marks, and the Mi'kmaw used hieroglyphs. In Mesoamerica, cultures like the Aztec, Maya, and Zapotec developed their own ways to write. In South America, the Inca used a system called Quipu, which may have been used for counting.

After Europeans came, new writing systems were created for Indigenous languages. These include Canadian syllabics, which Cree and Ojibwe used, as well as the Cherokee syllabary and Osage script.

Genetic classification

Main article: Genetic history of Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Further information: Y-DNA haplogroups in Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Scientists study special parts of DNA to learn about the history of Indigenous peoples of the Americas. One important part is called Haplogroup Q, which is found most often in these communities. This type of DNA does not mix much, so it helps show how groups changed over time.

The first people came to the Americas from Asia across the Bering Sea. They stayed in a place called Beringia for about 20,000 years before moving south. Different groups in places like South America and the far north show unique DNA patterns, suggesting they have been separate for a very long time. This helps us understand how people settled these lands long ago.

Empires

Some large groups of Indigenous peoples formed powerful empires before Europeans arrived in the Americas. These include the Aztec Empire, which lasted from 1428 to 1521, and the Inca Empire, from 1438 to 1572. Other notable empires were the Purépecha Empire, the Toltec Empire, the Tiwanaku Empire, and the Wari Empire.

Later, after Europeans arrived, the area known as Comancheria from 1770 to 1850 was also sometimes called an empire by scholars.

Civilizations

These complex societies built big cities long before Europeans arrived.

Technological and social periods

Further information: List of archaeological periods (North America), List of archaeological periods (Mesoamerica), and Periodization of pre-Columbian Peru

Long ago, some places in the Americas, like the Andes, Mesoamerica, and eastern North America, began growing crops on their own, a big change for people all over the world.

People in the Americas went through different stages of growth and change. These stages are:

  • Lithic stage or Paleo-Indian - people who hunted and gathered food using stone tools
  • Archaic stage - people began to settle in one place, grow crops, and find ways to live off the land
  • Formative stage - people made pottery, wove cloth, farmed in one place, and built special places for ceremonies
  • Classic stage - people made metal tools, specialized in crafts, built cities, and had leaders who ruled
  • Post-Classic stage - people made even better metal tools, built big cities, focused on fighting, and had less religious rule

In North America, later stages are called the Woodland period and Mississippian culture.

Some cultures in the Americas made tools from metals like copper and bronze. For example, in North America, people worked with cold copper in places like the Old Copper complex, Hopewellian exchange, and Mississippian culture. In the Andes, people made bronze tools, starting with the Moche culture and later used by the Calchaquí and Inca. In Mesoamerica, metal working began after 600 CE, and bronze methods may have come from South America.

People in the Americas did not make iron tools the way people in Eurasia did, but they did use pieces of iron from ships that wrecked on their coasts for things like mirrors, decorations, starting fires, and small tools. Some cultures even used iron to help line up big stones.

Further information: List of pre-Columbian inventions and innovations of Indigenous Americans

Images

A map showing the different cultural areas and languages of early Native American tribes in the United States.
The Avenue of the Dead with the Pyramid of the Sun in the background at Teotihuacán, an ancient city in Mexico.

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