Prehistoric Georgia:Prehistoric Georgia:The First Inhabitants of The First Inhabitants of

GeorgiaGeorgia

Prehistoric Native AmericansPrehistoric Native Americans

►Who were they?Who were they?►When did they arrive?When did they arrive?►Where was their original home?Where was their original home?►Why did they come?Why did they come?►What did they eat?What did they eat?►What kind of animals did they find What kind of animals did they find

here?here?►Where did they live?Where did they live?

Vocabulary TermsVocabulary Terms

►Define:Define: ArcheologistArcheologist AnthropologistAnthropologist ShaleShale ArtifactArtifact CultureCulture TribesTribes AntiquitiesAntiquities

Understanding through Understanding through ArtifactsArtifacts

►Oral Tradition: Elders repeated the Oral Tradition: Elders repeated the narrative of events often until younger narrative of events often until younger generations had memorized themgenerations had memorized them

►Archeologists dig into earth to find Archeologists dig into earth to find artifacts (items made by people) that artifacts (items made by people) that tell us about early inhabitantstell us about early inhabitants

►Shale: layered rock that can encase Shale: layered rock that can encase animals or birdsanimals or birds

Understanding through Understanding through CultureCulture

►Anthropologists Anthropologists use artifacts, cave use artifacts, cave drawings, well-traveled pathways, and drawings, well-traveled pathways, and oral history to study a group’s cultureoral history to study a group’s culture

►Culture:Culture: shared beliefs, traditions, shared beliefs, traditions, music, art, and social institutions of a music, art, and social institutions of a group of peoplegroup of people

Who, When, and How did Native Who, When, and How did Native Americans Arrive?Americans Arrive?

►During the During the Ice AgeIce Age►Approximately 12,000 years agoApproximately 12,000 years ago►Original Native Americans arrived on Original Native Americans arrived on

foot from Asiafoot from Asia►Used passage known as Used passage known as BeringiaBeringia

Served as “land bridge”Served as “land bridge” Possibly as wide as 1,300 miles Possibly as wide as 1,300 miles

Who, When, and How?Who, When, and How?

►Migration Migration unplannedunplanned►Nomads Nomads wandered looking for foodwandered looking for food

as they traveled, others followedas they traveled, others followed Climate warmer, more foodClimate warmer, more food Found woolly mammoths, mastodons, Found woolly mammoths, mastodons,

ground sloths, etc.ground sloths, etc.

All Native Americans descended All Native Americans descended from these Nomadsfrom these Nomads

Who, When, and How?Who, When, and How?

►By 10,000 B.C. humans had arrived in By 10,000 B.C. humans had arrived in what is now the Southeastern United what is now the Southeastern United StatesStates

►The following 11,700 years of history The following 11,700 years of history are divided into four are divided into four traditions:traditions: PaleoPaleo ArchaicArchaic WoodlandWoodland MississippianMississippian

Paleo-Indian Period Paleo-Indian Period Before 10,000 years agoBefore 10,000 years ago

►““Paleo” means “very old”Paleo” means “very old”►Also called Old Stone AgeAlso called Old Stone Age►Mainly ate Mainly ate large animals such as large animals such as

mammoths, bison, mastodons, & mammoths, bison, mastodons, & ground slothsground sloths

Paleo-Indian PeriodPaleo-Indian Period►Early Indians never stayed in one Early Indians never stayed in one

place for long – place for long – no evidence of fixed no evidence of fixed sheltershelter

►Camped in the openCamped in the open►Sometimes dug pits or built shelters to Sometimes dug pits or built shelters to

protect against weatherprotect against weather►Followed herds of large animalsFollowed herds of large animals

Paleo IndiansPaleo Indians

►Nomadic (roaming) huntersNomadic (roaming) hunters►Most tools and Most tools and spearspear points made of points made of

stonestone

Archaic PeriodArchaic Period8000 B.C. to 1000 B.C.8000 B.C. to 1000 B.C.

►Archaic Archaic means “old”means “old”►Three time spansThree time spans

Early (8000 B.C.-5000 B.C.)Early (8000 B.C.-5000 B.C.) Middle (began around 5000 B.C.)Middle (began around 5000 B.C.) Late (4000 B.C.-1000 B.C.)Late (4000 B.C.-1000 B.C.)

►Crude shelters; stayed in one place Crude shelters; stayed in one place longerlonger

Archaic PeriodArchaic Period

ArchaicArchaic

►Hunted Hunted large animals and small gamelarge animals and small game► Invented Invented toolstools from deer antlers from deer antlers►Moved with each season to find best food Moved with each season to find best food

resourcesresources►Water levels moved back along rivers & Water levels moved back along rivers &

coastal areascoastal areas► People began making People began making hookshooks from animal from animal

bonesbones► ShellfishShellfish became a more common food became a more common food► Food became easier to find and there was less Food became easier to find and there was less

movementmovement

ArchaicArchaic

►Created Created grooved axesgrooved axes to clear trees to clear trees and bushesand bushes

►Began saving and planting seeds for Began saving and planting seeds for planting (horticulture)planting (horticulture)

►Made and used pottery for cooking Made and used pottery for cooking and storing foodand storing food

Woodland PeriodWoodland Period1000 B.C. to A.D. 10001000 B.C. to A.D. 1000

►TribeTribe: group of people sharing : group of people sharing common ancestry, name, and way of common ancestry, name, and way of livingliving

►Hundreds of families formed tribesHundreds of families formed tribes►Built Built domed-shaped hutsdomed-shaped huts with trees with trees►Used Used bow and arrowsbow and arrows to hunt to hunt► Held religious ceremoniesHeld religious ceremonies

Woodland PeriodWoodland Period

► Improved pottery making techniquesImproved pottery making techniques►Ate small game, fish, nuts, and berriesAte small game, fish, nuts, and berries►Also planted crops such as squash & Also planted crops such as squash &

sunflowerssunflowers

Mississippian PeriodMississippian Period700 A.D. to 1600 A.D.700 A.D. to 1600 A.D.

►Also called the Temple Mound PeriodAlso called the Temple Mound Period►Farmed with homemade tools and Farmed with homemade tools and

grew most of their own foodgrew most of their own food Crops (maize, beans, pumpkins, squash)Crops (maize, beans, pumpkins, squash)

►Thousands lived in single settlement, Thousands lived in single settlement, protected by fences and moatsprotected by fences and moats

►Very religious; used jewelry and body Very religious; used jewelry and body artart

Mississippian PeriodMississippian Period

►Ancient middens (garbage piles) show Ancient middens (garbage piles) show what people ate, how they used fire, what people ate, how they used fire, what they used for cookingwhat they used for cooking

►Ocmulgee National Monument near Ocmulgee National Monument near Macon reveals a large Macon reveals a large ceremonial areaceremonial area with benches and platformswith benches and platforms

►Similar tools as WoodlandSimilar tools as Woodlandperiod: stone hoes,period: stone hoes,

copper headdressescopper headdresses

Mississippian PeriodMississippian Period

►Kolomoki MoundsKolomoki Mounds Blakely CountyBlakely County

►Rock Eagle MoundsRock Eagle Mounds Near Social CircleNear Social Circle

Native Americans in GeorgiaNative Americans in Georgia

►Who were they?Who were they? Creeks (Muscogee)Creeks (Muscogee) CherokeeCherokee

The Creek IndiansThe Creek Indians

►Originally from American southwestOriginally from American southwest►Spoke MuskogeanSpoke Muskogean►Discovered by European Explorers who Discovered by European Explorers who

called them Creekscalled them Creeks►Lived along Ocheese Creek (today’s Lived along Ocheese Creek (today’s

Ocmulgee River)Ocmulgee River)►Lived in italwa and talofa (large Lived in italwa and talofa (large

villages surrounded by smaller villages villages surrounded by smaller villages (similar to cities & suburbs today)(similar to cities & suburbs today)

Creek LifestyleCreek Lifestyle

►Village center featured plaza & rotundaVillage center featured plaza & rotunda►Games & ceremonies held in plazaGames & ceremonies held in plaza►Rotunda used for council meetingsRotunda used for council meetings►Wooden huts or log cabins with chimneys Wooden huts or log cabins with chimneys

surrounded the plazasurrounded the plaza►Villages, split from larger villages, helped Villages, split from larger villages, helped

form a confederacyform a confederacy►Raised livestock; were successful farmersRaised livestock; were successful farmers

The CherokeeThe Cherokee

►Lived in northwestern mountain region of Lived in northwestern mountain region of the statethe state

►Called themselves the Awi-yum-wija, which Called themselves the Awi-yum-wija, which meant the “real people” or “principal meant the “real people” or “principal people”people”

►Tribal clans: groups of people who believed Tribal clans: groups of people who believed themselves to be related by Cherokee bloodthemselves to be related by Cherokee blood

►Two tribal chiefs: one for making wartime Two tribal chiefs: one for making wartime decisions, and one for making peace time decisions, and one for making peace time decisionsdecisions

►Clans governed on the local levelClans governed on the local level

The Cherokee FamilyThe Cherokee Family

►Family lines were traced through the Family lines were traced through the mothermother

►The mother’s brothers were responsible The mother’s brothers were responsible for raising the childrenfor raising the children

►Mothers handled most of the domestic Mothers handled most of the domestic chores, fathers often left home to hunt chores, fathers often left home to hunt or tradeor trade

►Children played games that prepared Children played games that prepared them for adulthoodthem for adulthood

Cherokee LifestyleCherokee Lifestyle

►Built homes on high banks or hills along Built homes on high banks or hills along rivers and streamsrivers and streams

►Shelters were built from available Shelters were built from available materials, often plastered on the exterior materials, often plastered on the exterior to keep out rain & coldto keep out rain & cold

►Log cabins built for winter livingLog cabins built for winter living►Fishing and raising crops including maize Fishing and raising crops including maize

(corn)(corn)►Barter: trading goods and services Barter: trading goods and services

without exchange of money was without exchange of money was economic systemeconomic system

Cherokee HomesCherokee Homes

Cherokee ReligionCherokee Religion

►Believed earth was a large island Believed earth was a large island resting on waterresting on water

►This World: Tribe was at center of earthThis World: Tribe was at center of earth►Upper World: Clean & pure world; Sun Upper World: Clean & pure world; Sun

& Moon were chief gods& Moon were chief gods►Under World: waters below this world; Under World: waters below this world;

disorder & changedisorder & change►Deer and birds were honored, bears Deer and birds were honored, bears

were not were not

Other Cherokee PracticesOther Cherokee Practices

►Drank ginseng to stop bleeding or Drank ginseng to stop bleeding or shortness of breathshortness of breath

►Smoked tobacco during ceremonial Smoked tobacco during ceremonial occasions when seeking gods’ blessingsoccasions when seeking gods’ blessings

► Green Corn Ceremony held to give Green Corn Ceremony held to give thanks for corn, their most important thanks for corn, their most important source of foodsource of food

►Followed “Law of Retaliation”-took Followed “Law of Retaliation”-took revenge to get evenrevenge to get even This law prevented feuds within the tribesThis law prevented feuds within the tribes