Aboriginal People of North America

1
Aboriginal People of North America

• Origins and Introduction
• Social Studies 9
• Mr. Smith

2
Origins of Aboriginal Peoples

• Most First Nations say they have been here
  forever (since the world began)
• Oral histories
• Academics say they came from Siberia
• Came 30,000 10,000 YA
• By land bridge (Beringia) or by boat

3
Aboriginals before 1500

• Population 30m to 100m in Americas
• Canada ½ m to 2 m
• Disease killed millions after Europeans arrived
• 50 distinct cultures
• 12 language groupings
• Very diverse social characteristics

4

• Aboriginal Cultural Groups

5
The Arctic

• Inuit people
• Harsh environment
• Limited resources

6
Eastern Woodlands

• Algonkian Iroquois speaking
• Agriculturalists
• Large villages
• Confederacies of groups

7
Sub Arctic

• No villages
• Smaller, dispersed communities
• Hunting and gathering
• Montagnais, Ojibwa

8
Plains

• Buffalo hunters
• Major competition between groups
• Some militaristic societies
• Blackfoot

9
Plateau

• Interior of BC
• More extreme climate than coast
• Shared cultural aspects of Plains and Northwest
  coast
• Pit houses

10
Northwest Coast

• Range of languages
• Some of the wealthiest societies
• Potlatch
• Arts
• Haida, Kwakwakawak

11
Jig Saw Activity

• 1. Expert Groups Read your section and fill out
  chart
• Ensure each group member can teacher other
  students about the Aboriginal group
• 2. Sharing groups meet and teach others about
  your group
• Come to an agreement about the question