More Than Moccasins: A Kid's Activity Guide to Traditional North American Indian Life

More Than Moccasins: A Kid's Activity Guide to Traditional North American Indian Life — page 3
INTRODUCTION For thousands of years the only people that lived in North America were Native Americans Scientists think that they first came from Asia to Alaska during the Ice Age They walked across a land bridge that is now covered by the ocean They lived here for thousands of years before Columbus and his Spanish ships arrived The Spaniards were looking for India so they called the people they met Indians The name stuck It was easier than learning the names of all the Native American groups there were hundreds of different nations The Native Americans lived everywhere in deserts on mountains in valleys in woodlands and in swamps Some farmed some hunted some fished and some were traders Early Native Americans lived in small family groups or tribes all over North America Most tribes spoke their own language had their own customs and formed many nations across the land Years ago people had to make everything they needed There were no stores If they couldn't find what they wanted they traded for it or found some thing else to use The materials they used had to be gathered near their homes because they had to walk everywhere they