When and how did humans first arrive in north america?, History

Assignment Help:

When and how did humans first arrive in North America?

Many scholars estimate the population of the Western hemisphere to have been between 30 and 60 million people prior to Columbus's first voyage. Some put the number as high as 80 million, a figure equal to Europe's population in 1500! Most of this Indian population resided in Central and South America. The population of North America was considerably smaller, since cold winters and scarcer food supplies greatly reduced the number of people who could live in this northern environment. Three to six million Indians probably lived in North America. (Some scholars estimate a population as high as ten million.)

Estimates as to when humans first began to inhabit North America differ widely. Some scholars believe that human habitation of the Americas began as early as 35,000 years ago. Other scholars believe that it began approximately 12,000 years ago. Anthropologists and archaeologists continue to study and debate this controversial issue of the beginnings of human settlement in the Americas.

The first Americans crossed from Asia to Alaska on a land bridge into present-day Alaska. Because the more of the world's water was frozen in the polar ice cap, the water level of the world's oceans was much lower. As a result, a land bridge connected Siberia and Alaska, which are now separated by the Bering Strait. Scholars call the area around this land bridge, which is now submerged, Beringia.

The earliest migrants to North America were hunters, who depended on big game animals for their survival. Approximately 15,000 years ago, the world's temperature began to increase. After the most recent ice age ended, approximately 9,000 years ago, Indians spread to other portions of the Western hemisphere. The world's oceans rose, submerging some of the Indians' original North American homelands, but, as glaciers receded, new lands became habitable farther to the south.

Climatic changes enabled Indians to spread quickly throughout the Americas, traveling along the western coast of North and South America in boats and settling from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, the southern tip of South America. They also migrated eastward, inhabiting diverse environments ranging from the west coast to deserts, mountains, plains, and woodlands

 


Related Discussions:- When and how did humans first arrive in north america?

The national income of a country, The national income of a country for a gi...

The national income of a country for a given period is equal to the (a) total value of goods and services produced by the nationals (b) sum of total consumption and investment e

Emperor william ii of germany and battle of omdurman, 1. The Battle of Omdu...

1. The Battle of Omdurman A) was waged between the British and Sudanese Muslims B) resulted in in 28 British deaths C) resulted in eleven thousand Muslim deaths D) featured the

Ideology and communist ideology as espoused by marx, Compare and Contrast G...

Compare and Contrast German Nazi ideology and Communist ideology as espoused by Marx?In what respects were similar and what respects did they differ?You may use bullets, but don't

What did soldiers desperately want to avoid, 1. How did both armies motivat...

1. How did both armies motivate soldiers to stand and fight rather than run away during combat? Describe the relationship between enlisted soldiers and the officers that commanded

What role did preparing for war play in industrialization, Discuss the indu...

Discuss the industrialization of the Soviet Union by Stalin through the collectivization of agriculture, the Five Year Plans and the purges of Communist Party leaders and military

Industrial revolution began in central europe, 1. The Industrial Revolution...

1. The Industrial Revolution began in Central Europe (nations like Germany and Belgium) TRUE FALSE 2. The Industrial Revolution helped to urbanize Europe and North America durin

What part of the constitution gives congress the power, What part of the Co...

What part of the Constitution gives Congress the power to legislate the welfare of Indian children

Guarantee that african americans in the us, Please give me a list of the wa...

Please give me a list of the ways that the US government has attempted to guarantee that African Americans in the US access to the same rights and opportunities that the whites had

Show the differences between jackson and calhoun, both president, Andrew Ja...

both president, Andrew Jackson and Vice president John C. Calhoun were southern planters and defenders of the institution of slavery. But, in 1830, Jackson, raising his glass in a

Means of communication and record-keeping, As societies became more complex...

As societies became more complex, it became necessary to devise a means of communication and record-keeping. Describe the various stages that occurred in the invention of writing i

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd