Pre Columbian Americas

“Pre – Columbian Americas”

The New World before Columbus, was not empty and unknown before his discoveries. Europeans had explored in the New World, they came into contact with people whom Columbus by mistaKE called them Indians. It is unknow where they came from and when these first Americans came to the North and South America, but it is cleared that they lived in the new world centuries before the Europeans came. The Indians were not unified they were divided into hundreds of clans or tribes, each had its own language, lifestyle, and leader. Some Indians were called Nomadic, constantly looking out for game, fish, and wild plants. They lived in portable shelters such as tepees Others, settled in one area and farmed the land, raising crops such as maize, potatoe, squash, and beans. More often Indians lived in more permanent housing such as dome shaped wigwams covered with leaves and bark, or adobe houses built of sun dried bricks. Eventhough, most of the Indians were scattered in small villages there were three groups that built large civilizations before the white man came. In Central and South America, the Mayas, the Aztecs, and the Incas lived in large cities and developed many skills. The Pre-Columbian era was a time that Indians or Indegenous cultures flourished to maintain there traditions. The Mayan civilization, located in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and in Guatemala flourished from 300 A.D to 900. They were amazing builders; they built temples, stone pyramids. Unlike most Indians groups they developed the writing system and mathematics. They also studied the stars and the planets. Even though the Mayan Civilization had fallen five hundred years prior to Columbus discovery, the Aztecs and the Incas were stronger where Columbus came. The Aztecs were fierce warrior who conquered other Indians tribes in Mexico. They built the capital city Tenochtitlan with large plazas, pyramids, temples and adobes houses. Today Tenochtitlan is considered to be the Capital of Mexico called Mexico City. The Incas built empires in Peru. Their ruler was a God called “the Inca”. The Inca craftmen produced metalwork, textiles, and pottery. They were also excellent builders. In addition, ruins of their well planned cities and roads still exist. Eventhough all these Indians lived in the Americas long before the arrival of the Europeans. It is unsure when the Indians first saw the white man, but Columbus is considered regardless the discoverer of America. Theres many theories that claim that Columbus was not the first to see the Americas. For example, Phoenician, Welshman, and the Vikings. Phoenician has been contemplated to have discovered American before the birth of Jesus Christ. The Welshman is believed to have found a settlement among the Indians during the Middle Ages. They were Indians with blue Eyes that existed from the 1600 to the 1800’s. Finally, there also evidence that indicated that the Vikings visited America around 1000 A.D. The Vikings were sea men from northern Europe, they colonized Greenland and also visited Eastern Canada. Many Viking journeyed other areas of Americlata, but Europe was unaware of their voyages. Their discoveries were unnoticed on Europe. It was not until Columbus discovery that a new age of exploration and discovery were initiated. The new era of exploration started in the late 1400’s. By then the Europeans, had new ships designs and new instrument to help thCem sail. Much of their exploration was on the far east to look for spices, silk, porcelain, gems and precious metals for the benefit of great profits. The Portuguese n tried to find a way eastward around Africa, other explorers wondered t of the he Orient by sailing west. It was belief that this led to the discovery of the new world. Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492, which opened the way for European exploration and colonization of the New World. Columbus Voyages encouraged Spain and others countries to to seek out the extent and the riches of the land.

le