Native american societies

Definition

The diverse indigenous peoples who inhabited North and South America for thousands of years before European contact, developing complex civilizations with varied political systems, economies, and cultural practices adapted to their environments. These societies ranged from nomadic hunter-gatherer bands to large agricultural empires.

Examples

  • The Iroquois Confederacy, a sophisticated political alliance of six nations in the Northeast
  • The Pueblo peoples building multi-story adobe dwellings in the American Southwest
  • The Aztec Empire centered at Tenochtitlán with advanced engineering and agriculture

Related Terms

Columbian exchange Colonial settlements Manifest destiny European exploration

Study This Concept

Practice Native American societies with free review games in these units:

AP US History Unit 1: 1491-1607: Pre-Columbian America