This Land in the 1400s

In 1400, the land is bursting with life. Giant grizzly bears wander from Alaska to Mexico. Birds fill the skies,at times blocking out the sun. Mountains seem to touch the clouds.

The people who live here are members of hundreds of different Native American nations and tribes. Some groups have been living here for thousands of years. They don’t call the year “1400” though. Different groups have their own calendars, traditions, and ways of tracking time.

In 1400, the land is bursting with life. Giant grizzly bears roam from Alaska to Mexico. Birds fill the skies. Mountains seem to touch the clouds. 

The people who live here are Native Americans. They are members of hundreds of different nations and tribes. Some groups have been living here for thousands of years. They don’t call the year “1400” though. Different groups have their own calendars, traditions, and ways of tracking time. 

Large lakes lay in the north of the land. There you meet the members of the Lakota and Dakota nations. You visit different tribes and hear conversations in dozens of languages. One of the women lets you try on a beautiful robe of bison skin that she’s making. Its colorful patterns sparkle in the sunlight. 

Farther south, you’re surprised to see towering pyramid-like piles of earth. They were built by another tribe, the Mississippians. You visit a marketplace, where people trade deerskins and tools for farming and woodworking.

Along the east coast, you see villages packed with people. Watch out! A ball is whizzing toward your head. The Iroquois are playing an early version of  lacrosse. They’re using sticks with nets at the end and balls made out of deerskin and fur.

Whoosh! A sled pulled by dogs races by. Now you’re on the coast of modern-day Alaska. Here you meet the Inuit tribes. They use sleds and boats called kayaks to travel and carry supplies.

You find large lakes in the north of the land. There you meet the members of the Lakota and Dakota nations. You visit different tribes. You hear conversations in different languages. One of the women lets you try on a beautiful robe of bison skin. Its colorful patterns shine.

Farther south, you see tall piles of earth. They look like pyramids. They were built by another tribe, the Mississippians. You visit a busy marketplace. People trade deerskins and tools for farming and woodworking.

Along the east coast, you see villages packed with people. Watch out! A ball is flying toward your head. The Iroquois are playing an early version of lacrosse. They’re using sticks with nets at the end. The balls are made out of deerskin and fur. 

Whoosh! A sled pulled by dogs hurries by. Now you’re on the coast of modern-day Alaska. You meet the Inuit tribes. They use sleds and boats called kayaks to travel and carry supplies. 

So what happened to these people and their way of life? In the 1500s, groups of people from Europe came to to live here. They gave the land their own name: America.

Over time, new cities and towns were built. Native peoples were pushed from their homes. Millions died. They were killed in wars over their lands. They died from diseases brought from Europe.

Those who survived worked to carry on their tribes’ traditions. Today, the land looks a lot different. But it still dazzles, from its snow-capped mountains to its sparkling oceans.

And today, the people who live in America are from all over the world. Some trace their family back to the people who first lived here, thousands of years ago.

So what happened to these people and their way of life? In the 1500s, groups of people from Europe came to live here. They gave the land their own name: America.

Over time, new cities and towns were built. Native peoples were forced to leave their homes. Millions died. They were killed in wars over their lands. They died from diseases brought from Europe. 

Those who lived worked to carry on their tribes’ traditions. Today, the land looks a lot different. But it still shines, from its snowy mountains to its bright oceans.

The people who live in America today are from all over the world. Some trace their family back to the people who first lived here, thousands of years ago.