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Where Did the Maya Live?

The Maya civilization was one of the most dominant Indigenous societies of Mesoamerica (a term used to describe Mexico and Central America before the 16th century Spanish conquest).

Unlike other scattered Indigenous populations of Mesoamerica, the Maya were centered in one geographical block covering all of the Yucatan Peninsula and modern-day Guatemala; Belize and parts of the Mexican states of Tabasco and Chiapas; and the western part of Honduras and El Salvador. This concentration showed that the Maya remained relatively secure from invasion by other Mesoamerican peoples.

Did you know? Among the earliest Maya a single language existed, but by the Preclassic Period a great linguistic diversity developed among the various Maya peoples. In modern-day Mexico and Central America, around 5 million people speak some 70 Maya languages; most of them are bilingual in Spanish.

Within that expanse, the Maya lived in three separate sub-areas with distinct environmental and cultural differences: the northern Maya lowlands on the Yucatan Peninsula; the southern lowlands in the Peten district of northern Guatemala and adjacent portions of Mexico, Belize and western Honduras; and the southern Maya highlands, in the mountainous region of southern Guatemala.

Most famously, the Maya of the southern lowland region reached their peak during the Classic Period of Maya civilization (A.D. 250 to 900), and built the great stone cities and monuments that have fascinated explorers and scholars of the region to this day.

Early Maya, 1800 B.C. to A.D. 250

The earliest Maya settlements date to around 1800 B.C., or the beginning of what is called the Preclassic or Formative Period. The earliest Maya were agricultural, growing crops such as corn (maize), beans, squash and cassava (manioc). During the Middle Preclassic Period, which lasted until about 300 B.C., Maya farmers began to expand their presence both in the highland and lowland regions.

The Middle Preclassic Period also saw the rise of the first major Mesoamerican civilization, the Olmecs. Like other Mesamerican peoples, such as the Zapotec, Totonac, Teotihuacán and Aztec, the Maya derived a number of religious and cultural traits-as well as their number system and their famous calendar-from the Olmec.

In addition to agriculture, the Preclassic Maya also displayed more advanced cultural traits like pyramid-building, city construction and the inscribing of stone monuments.

The Late Preclassic city of Mirador, in the northern Peten, was one of the greatest cities ever built in the pre-Columbian Americas. Its size dwarfed the Classic Maya capital of Tikal, and its existence proves that the Maya flourished centuries before the Classic Period.

Mayan Pyramids of the Classic Maya, A.D. 250-900

The Classic Period, which began around A.D. 250, was the golden age of the Maya Empire. Classic Maya civilization grew to some 40 cities, including Tikal, Uaxactún, Copán, Bonampak, Dos Pilas, Calakmul, Palenque and Río Bec; each city held a population of between 5,000 and 50,000 people. At its peak, the Maya population may have reached 2,000,000 or as many as 10,000,000.

Excavations of Maya sites have unearthed plazas, palaces, temples and pyramids, as well as courts for playing the famous Maya ball game ulama, all ritually and politically significant to Maya culture. Maya cities were surrounded and supported by a large population of farmers. Though the Maya practiced a primitive type of "slash-and-burn" agriculture, they also displayed evidence of more advanced farming methods, such as irrigation and terracing.

The Maya were deeply religious, and worshiped various gods related to nature, including the gods of the sun, the moon, rain and corn. At the top of Maya society were the kings, or "kuhul ajaw" (holy lords), who claimed to be related to gods and followed a hereditary succession. They were thought to serve as mediators between the gods and people on earth, and performed the elaborate religious ceremonies and rituals so important to the Maya culture.

The Mayan Calendar and Culture

The Classic Maya built many of their temples and palaces in a stepped pyramid shape, decorating them with elaborate reliefs and inscriptions. These structures have earned the Maya their reputation as the great artists of Mesoamerica.

Guided by their religious ritual, the Maya also made significant advances in mathematics and astronomy, including the use of the zero and the development of complex calendar systems like the Calendar Round, based on 365 days, and later, the Long Count Calendar, designed to last over 5,000 years.

Serious exploration of Classic Maya sites began in the 1830s. By the early to mid-20th century, a small portion of their system of hieroglyph writing had been deciphered, and more about their history and culture became known. Most of what historians know about the Maya comes from what remains of their architecture and art, including stone carvings and inscriptions on their buildings and monuments.

The Maya also made paper from tree bark and wrote in books made from this paper, known as codices; four of these codices are known to have survived. They are also credited with some of the earliest uses of chocolate and of rubber.

Maya Life in the Rainforest

One of the many intriguing things about the Maya was their ability to build a great civilization in a tropical rainforest climate. Traditionally, ancient peoples had flourished in drier climates, where the centralized management of water resources (through irrigation and other techniques) formed the basis of society. (This was the case for the Teotihuacan of highland Mexico, contemporaries of the Classic Maya.) In the southern Maya lowlands, however, there were few navigable rivers for trade and transport, as well as no obvious need for an irrigation system.

By the late 20th century, researchers had concluded that the climate of the lowlands was in fact quite environmentally diverse. Though foreign invaders were disappointed by the region's relative lack of silver and gold, the Maya took advantage of the area's many natural resources, including limestone (for construction), the volcanic rock obsidian (for tools and weapons) and salt.

The environment also held other treasures for the Maya, including jade, quetzal feathers (used to decorate the elaborate costumes of Maya nobility) and marine shells, which were used as trumpets in ceremonies and warfare.

What Happened to the Maya?

From the late eighth through the end of the ninth century, something unknown happened to shake the Maya civilization to its foundations. One by one, the Classic cities in the southern lowlands were abandoned, and by A.D. 900, Mayan civilization in that region had collapsed. The reason for this mysterious decline is unknown, though scholars have developed several competing theories.

Some believe that by the ninth century the Maya had exhausted the environment around them to the point that it could no longer sustain a very large population. Other Maya scholars argue that constant warfare among competing city-states led the complicated military, family (by marriage) and trade alliances between them to break down, along with the traditional system of dynastic power.

As the stature of the holy lords diminished, their complex traditions of rituals and ceremonies dissolved into chaos. Finally, some catastrophic environmental change - like an extremely long, intense period of drought - may have wiped out the Classic Maya civilization. Drought would have hit cities like Tikal especially hard, because rainwater there was necessary for drinking as well as for crop irrigation.

All three of these factors - overpopulation and overuse of the land, endemic warfare and drought - may have played a part in the downfall of the Maya in the southern lowlands. In the highlands of the Yucatan, a few Maya cities, such as Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Mayapán, continued to flourish in the Post-Classic Period (A.D. 900-1500). By the time the Spanish invaders arrived, however, most Maya were living in agricultural villages, their great cities hidden under a layer of verdant rainforest.

Do the Maya Still Exist?

Descendants of the Maya still live in Central America in modern-day Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and parts of Mexico.

The majority of modern-day Maya live in Guatemala, which is home to Tikal National Park, the site of the ruins of the ancient city of Tikal. Roughly 40 percent of Guatemalans are of Mayan descent.

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Mayan Civilization: Calendar, Pyramids & Ruins| HISTORY

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The Maya, a civilization of Indigenous people in Central America, created a complex Mayan calendar and massive pyramids before their empire collapsed into ruins.

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Nobody knows where they came from, although historians suspect they came on foot from North America, but about 2,400 years ago a new tribe appeared in Central America. They settled in the rainforests of the Yucatan Peninsula. They were very clever people. They set about making cities in the rainforest, many beautiful cities. They did not use metal tools. They did have the wheel. They did not have pack animals like elephants or donkeys. They built huge cities using stone tools, and wood tools, and tools made from shells. In time, the Maya had built hundreds of cities. They were skilled builders. They built palaces, temples, pyramids, walls, and homes. The cities were connected with well built roads that ran through the rainforests and jungles on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Every city had a ball court, temples, and a central plaza. Each city was a center of learning and religion. Each city had its own ruling family. The Maya city-states never unified. Like the ancient Greek city-states, the Maya cities often went to war with each other. Some historians believe they were almost always at war with someone.

By around 900 CE, the Maya cities were mostly deserted. Some people remained, but without enough people to take care of them the great Maya cities fell into ruin. That's why the Maya are called "the mysterious Maya" - nobody knows why they migrated, or why they left some people behind in the cities. But historians and archeologists believe the move was caused by a drought, but no one knows for sure. It's a history mystery.

Mythbuster: True or False: The Maya civilization collapsed around 900 CE and the Maya disappeared. Answer: False.

There was no Maya collapse. Instead, due probably to severe and long lasting drought, people living within the rainforest area abandoned their cities and travelled north into the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico and the highlands of Guatemala. These people established a new home, building new cities such as Chichen Itza, that were occupied up until the 1400s (the 15th century.) Then their civilization ended, when much of their population died from disease introduced by European explorers.

Just as the fall of Rome did not mean the end of Romans, there are many descendants of the ancient Maya living in Central America today. About 40% of Guatemala's modern population, along with hundreds of thousands of people outside Guatemala, trace their ancestry back to the ancient Maya.

Archaeologists are very curious about these clever, ancient people. Although they have discovered the ruins of many Maya cities hidden deep in the jungle, they suspect there may be more cities yet to be discovered. It's very difficult (and dangerous) to look for them. That has not stopped archaeologists from trying.

In the cities discovered, many thousands of hieroglyphics have been found. But not all of the around 800 different symbols that make up the Maya glyph system are understood today. As archaeologists and other scientists continue to decipher this ancient language, we hope to learn more about these fascinating people.

Exploring the Ancient Maya Civilization for Kids (video, 15 minutes)

Lost World of The Maya (Video, National Geo)

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The Mysterious Maya - The Maya Empire for Kids

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Nobody knows where they came from, although historians suspect they came on foot from North America, but about 2,400 years ago a new tribe appeared in Central America. They settled in the rainforests of the Yucatan Peninsula. They were very clever people. They set about making cities in the rainforest, many beautiful cities.

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The Aztecs / Mexicas were the Indigenous people who dominated northern Mexico at the time of the Spanish conquest led by Hernan CORTES in the early 16th century.

Fearless warriors and pragmatic builders, the Aztecs created an empire during the 15th century that was surpassed in size in the Americas only by that of the Incas in Peru. As early texts and modern archaeology continue to reveal, beyond their conquests and many of their religious practices, there were many positive achievements: the formation of a highly specialized and stratified society and an imperial administration, the expansion of a trading network as well as a tribute system, the development and maintenance of a sophisticated agricultural economy, carefully adjusted to the land and the cultivation of an intellectual and religious outlook that held society to be an integral part of the cosmos.

The yearly round of rites and ceremonies in the cities of Tenochtitlan and neighboring Tetzcoco, and their symbolic art and architecture, gave expression to an ancient awareness of the interdependence of nature and humanity.

The Aztecs remain the most extensively documented of all Amerindian civilizations at the time of European contact in the 16th century. Spanish friars, soldiers, and historians and scholars of Indian or mixed descent left invaluable records of all aspects of life. These ethnohistoric sources, linked to modern archaeological inquiries and studies of ethnologists, linguists, historians, and art historians, portray the formation and flourishing of a complex imperial state.

Aztec Calendar

Clockwise, the days of the Aztec Calendar are as follows:

Twenty Days of the Aztec Month
Snake - Coatl
Lizard - Cuetzpallin
House - Calli
Wind - Ehecatl
Crocodile - Cipactli
Flower - Xochitl
Rain - Quiahuitl
Flint - Tecpatl
Movement - Ollin
Vulture - Cozcacuauhtli
Eagle - Cuauhtle
Jaguar - Ocelotl
Cane - Acatl
Herb - Malinalli
Monkey - Ozomatli
Hairless Dog - Itzquintli
Water - Atl
Rabbit - Tochtli
Deer - Mazatl
Skull - Miquiztli

Aztec Gods

Religion was extremely important in Aztec life. They worshipped hundreds of gods and goddesses, each of whom ruled one or more human activities or aspects of nature. The people had many agricultural gods because their culture was based heavily on farming; also they included natural elements and ancestor-heroes. These gods included:

CENTEOTL, the corn god.

COATLICUE - She of the Serpent Skirt.

EHECATL, the god of wind.

HUEHUETEOTL, "the old, old deity," was one of the names of the cult of fire, among the oldest in Mesoamerica. The maintenance of fires in the temples was a principal priestly duty, and the renewal of fire was identified with the renewal of time itself.

HUITZILOPOCHTLI, (the war/sun god and special guardian of Tenochtitlan) the deified ancestral warrior-hero, was the Mexica-Aztec patron par excellence. His temple (next to that of Tlaloc) on the Main Pyramid was the focus of fearsome sacrifices of prisoners captured by Aztec warriors. Victims' heads were strung as trophies on a great rack, the Tzompantli, erected in the precinct below.

MICTLANTECUHTLE, god of the dead.

OMETECUHLTI and his wife OMECIHUATL created all life in the world.

QUETZALCOATL, (the god of civilization and learning) "quetzal (feather) serpent," had dozens of associations. It was the name of a deity, a royal title, the name of a legendary priest-ruler, a title of high priestly office. But its most fundamental significance as a natural force is symbolized by the sculpture of a coiled plumed serpent rising from a base whose underside is carved with the symbols of the earth deity and Tlaloc. The image of the serpent rising from the earth and bearing water on its tail is explained in the Nahuatl language by a description of Quetzalcoatl in terms of the rise of a powerful thunderstorm sweeping down, with wind raising dust before bringing rain.

TEZCATLIPOCA, (god of Night and Sorcery) "Smoking Mirror" (obsidian), characterized as the most powerful, supreme deity, was associated with the notion of destiny. His cult was particularly identified with royalty, for Tezcatlipoca was the object of the lengthy and reverent prayers in rites of kingship.

TLALOC, the rain deity, belonged to another most memorable and universal cult of ancient Mexico. The name may be Aztec, but the idea of a storm god especially identified with mountaintop shrines and life-giving rain was certainly as old as Teotihuacan. The primary temple of this major deity was located atop Mt. Tlaloc, where human victims were sacrificed to fertilize water-rocks within the sacred enclosure. In Tenochtitlan another Tlaloc temple shared the platform atop the dual Main Pyramid, a symbolic mountain.

TONATIUH, the sun, was perceived as a primary source of life whose special devotees were the warriors. The warriors were charged with the mission to provide the sun with sacrificial victims. A special altar to the sun was used for sacrifices in coronation rites, a fact that signifies the importance of the deity. The east-west path of the sun determined the principal ritual axis in the design of Aztec cities.

TONANTZIN, "honored grandmother," was among the many names of the female earth-deity.

TEZCATLIPOCA, an all-powerful god; Tonatiuh, the sun god.

XILONEN, "young maize ear," and Chicomecoatl, "seven serpent," were principal deities of maize representing the chief staple of Mesoamerican peoples.

XIPE TOTEC, the god of springtime and regrowth.

XIUHTECUHTLE the fire god.

Aztec Emperors

The following is a list of Aztec Emperors:

NAME                    TRANSLATION                   DATES SERVED

TENOCH                 TUNA DE PIEDRA                   1325-1375

ACAMAPICHTLI           MANOJO DE CANAS                  1376-1396

HUITZILIHUITL          PLUMA DE COLIBRI                 1397-1417

CHIMALPOPOCA           ESCUDO HUMEANTE                  1418-1427

ITZCOATL               SERPIENTE DE OBSIDIANA           1428-1440

MOCTEZUMA ILHUICAMINA  EL FLECHADOR DEL CIELO           1441-1469

AXAYACATL              CARA DE AGUA                     1470-1481

TIZOC                  PIERNA ENFERMA                   1482-1486

AHUITZOTL              PERRO DE AGUA                    1487-1502

MOCTEZUMA XOCOYOTZIN   EL SENOR VALEROSO                1503-1520

CUITALAHUAC            EXCREMENTO SECO                  1520-1521

CUAUHTEMOC -
(He who decends like an eagle.) 1520-1521
{koo-ow-tay'-mawk}

Cuauhtemoc, c.1495-1525, became ruler of the AZTECS in 1521, during the siege of TENOCHTITLAN, and led the final desperate resistance of that city against the Spanish conquistadors. After weeks of street fighting, he surrendered to Hernan CORTES. This act marked the end of the Aztec empire and the beginning of Spanish dominion in Mexico.

Cuauhtemoc was first treated kindly by the Spanish, then imprisoned and tortured, and finally hanged during Cortes's march to Honduras, on a charge of plotting treachery. A tomb below the church at his birthplace, Ixcateopan in Guerrero, is said to contain his remains, but not all scholars accept this attribution.

Aztec Books, Documents, and Writing

Berdan, Frances F., and Anawalt, Patricia, eds., The Codex Mendoza, 4 vols. (1992)

Berdan, Frances. Aztecs of Central Mexico: An Imperial Society. Holt, 1982. Ethnographic reconstruction of preconquest Aztec culture.

Carrasco, David, ed., To Change Place: Aztec Ceremonial Landscapes (1991)

Caso, Alfonso. The Aztecs, People of the Sun. Oklahoma, 1978. Trans. Lowell Dunham. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1958. Contends that Aztecs were primarily religious people and lived accordingly.

Castillo, Bernal Diaz, The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico, trans. by A. P. Maudsley (1956)

Chimalpain's " Diferentes Historias Originales de los Reinos de Culhuacan y México y de Otras Provincias "

Clendinnen, Inga. Aztecs: An Interpretation. Cambridge, 1991. Describes the lives of "ordinary" Aztecs.

Cortes, Hernan, Letters from Mexico, trans. by A. R. Pagden (1971)

Cortez, Hernando ' " Cartas de Relación " (a series of five letters written by the conqueror to king Charles V, published in Spanish by Porrúa Hermanos and in English by Norton & Co. as translated by J. Bayard Morris)

Davies, Nigel. The Aztecs: A History. Oklahoma, 1980; 1986. Political history spanning 400-year empire before Spanish conquest.

del Castillo, Berná Diaz. Discovery and Conquest of Mexico. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Cudahy, 1956.

Duran, Diego 's " Book of the Gods and Rites and the Ancient Calendar " (translated by Doris Heyden and Fernando Horcasitas in a 1971 edition by the Univ. of Oklahoma Press)

Hassig, Ross. Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control. Oklahoma, 1988. An examination of the Aztec Empire in terms of its own goals and objectives.

Karen, Ruth. Feathered Serpent: The Rise and Fall of the Aztecs. Four Winds, 1979. The origins of the civilization, brutal cultural organization, and military conquest by Spaniards.

Leó, Miguel. The Aztec Image of Self and Society. Ed. J. Jorge Klow de Alva. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1992.

Leon-Portilla, Miguel. Aztec Image of Self and Society. Utah, 1992. "An Introduction to Nahua Culture" (subtitle).

Leon-Portilla, Miguel, ed. The Broken Spears: An Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico. Beacon, 1962. Translations of a selection of indigenous accounts of the conquest.

Leon-Portilla, Miguel's " Aztec Thought and Culture " (Univ. Oklahoma Press, 1963; several printings), A classic analysis of the Aztec mind, a translation of the author's 1956 Spanish original: " La FilosofíaNahuatl " (UNAM, Mexico City).

Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo. Aztecs. Rizzoli, 1989. Draws on both archaeological and ethnohistorical evidence.The Mighty Aztecs. National Geographic, 1981. Illustrated overview of their short-lived glories.

Moctezuma, Eduardo Matos. The Great Temple of the Aztecs. Trans. Doris Heyden. New York: Thames and Hudson, Ltd., 1988.

Soustelle, Jacques's " La Vida Cotidiana de los Aztecas en Vísperas de la Conquista " (1956, Fondo de Cultura Económica, Mexico City, many printings), a translation from the original French work published in 1955.

Tezozomoc, Fernando Alvarado 's " Crónica Mexicayotl " (1975, UNAM, Mexico City).

Townsend, Richard F., The Aztecs (1992)

Weaver, Muriel Porter. The Aztecs, Maya, and Their Predecessors Archeology of Mesoamerica. New York: Seminar Press, 1972.

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Fearless warriors and pragmatic builders, the Aztecs created an empire during the 15th century that was surpassed in size in the Americas only by that of the Incas in Peru.

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Kids learn about the lost city of Machu Picchu of the Inca Empire including who found it, how it was built, and who lived there.

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Kids learn about the lost city of Machu Picchu of the Inca Empire including who found it, how it was built, and who lived there.

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The Inca Indians created an empire high in the rugged Andes Mountains of South America. They built thousands of miles of roads and connected mountain peaks with bridges. Everyone in the empire was well fed and no one was homeless. Yet, the Inca Indians never invented the wheel. They never invented a system of writing. But although their empire only lasted about 100 years, the Inca Indians created a system of government, a history, trade and economy, tall tales and legends, stories about their many gods and goddesses, all kinds of very strange customs, and paved their cities with gold. Come meet the Children of the Sun. Welcome to the Inca Empire!

For Kids
Quick History Early Tribes Manco Capac Daily Life in the Inca Empire Hair Styles Kids & School The Sapa Inca Trade and Economy The Common People Religion, Dreams and Omens Myths and Legends Government The Inca Army Cuzco, Capital City Crime & Punishment Terrace Farming Domesticated Animals Llama Legends Professions Buildings and Architecture Inca Roads & Bridges Roadrunners Tall Tale Lords The Hero Pachacuti Spanish Arrival Inventions Machu Picchu Games (about the Incas) Take the Quiz, Interactive (with answers)
For Teachers
The Incas for Teachers Free Ready Made Presentations about the Inca Interactive Quiz
Free Use Inca Clipart

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The Inca Empire for Kids and Teachers - The Inca Empire for Kids

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The Inca Indians created an empire high in the rugged Andes Mountains of South America. They built thousands of miles of roads and connected mountain peaks with bridges. Everyone in the empire was well fed and no one was homeless. Yet, the Inca Indians never invented the wheel.

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Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample

The Inca Empire, also known as the Inka Empire or Incan Empire, was the largest empire in pre- Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. See the fact file below for more facts about the Ancient Inca civilization.

The Inca Empire existed in Peru. It ran along the Pacific coast and Andean highlands from the northern border of what is today called Ecuador to the Maule River in Chile. There were over a million people who were Inca.

The man who established the Inca Empire was Manco Capac in 1438. Manco Capac declared himself Sapa Inca, divine son of the Sun. He was a skilled warrior and leader who exercised absolute power. Most historians agree there were thirteen emperors during the time when the Inca Empire existed. They were sometimes called, "The Inca".

The Inca originated in the village of Paqari-tampu, about 15 miles south of Cuzco.

The official language of the Inca was Quecha. The Inca had no written language. They kept their history and stories alive through stories that were passed from father to son.

The Ancient Inca built aqueducts, cities, temples, fortresses, tunnels, suspension bridges, and 2, 250 miles of roads. The Inca had a great understanding of mathematics and agriculture. They also knew about hydraulics, astronomy, architecture and military strategy.

The Inca had skills in music, textiles, wood and stone carving, art and poetry. The Inca were also highly skilled in working with all types of metals. Their pottery was simple, practical and beautiful. The Ancient Inca grew corn, potatoes, coffee, and other grains. They also created woven baskets and woodwind instruments.

The Inca pyramids were built with mud bricks of clay that were mixed with dry straw from the corn plant. When the Incas found a pyramid that had been built by another culture, they would build their own Inca temple on top of it. Inca gold was not inherited by a person's decedents, so when somebody died, the gold was placed inside the grave.

The Incas worshipped many gods and goddesses. The major Incan god was the god of nature, Viracocha, the creator. Another god was Inti, the sun god. Gold was the symbol of Inti. The sun god temple is the most important structure in Cuzco, the major city of the Incas. The Incas believed Inti was the father of Incan rulers. They worshipped the ruler as a living god. Major Incan goddesses included those of the earth and the sea. The Incas also worshipped many lesser gods and goddesses. These included the gods of the moon, thunder, rain, stars and rainbows.

The Ancient Inca's developed important medical practices. They performed surgery on human skulls and used anesthesias during surgery. Inca medicine included treating physical and emotional problems.

In 1532 the Spanish arrived in Peru and by 1535 the Inca Empire was gone.

Ancient Inca Worksheets

This bundle includes 11 ready-to-use Ancient Inca worksheets that are perfect for students to learn about this historical civilization and empire which was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America.

Throughout the extensive worksheet pack there are multiple lesson resources and quizzes for students to practice their knowledge which can be used within the classroom or homeschooling environment.

Included Ancient Inca worksheets:

Machu Picchu
Students will read the source material and analyze Machu Picchu before describing the picture and write about the important archeological site.

After completing these worksheets students will be able to:

Have a clear understanding about the history of the ancient Inca empire and civilization.

Complete a number of quiz and fill in the blank activities to test their knowledge of the subject.

Locate where the Inca civilization was on a map and answer questions about the location.

Explain why Machu Picchu is such an important archaeological site and its implication on the history of mankind.

Describe different Inca artefacts and write about what their purpose was and how they give us a glimpse into Incan lifestyle.

Identify the concept being described in a series of statements about the Incan empire.

Write about Incan legacies and why thee implications of those are in past and present times.

Justify statements about the Incan civilization by completing the ideas with their own thoughts.

Compare and contrast the way people lived in ancient Inca to the way people live in modern day.

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Link will appear as Ancient Inca Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 26, 2016
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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Ancient Inca Facts & Worksheets | KidsKonnect

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Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample The Inca Empire, also known as the Inka Empire or Incan Empire, was the largest empire in pre- Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru.

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Colonial America The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony

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Colonial America The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony

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Kids learn about the history of the Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony of Colonial America including the Mayflower voyage, establishing a Puritan settlement, their leaders, Squanto, the Native Americans, and Thanksgiving.

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Native American Perspective: Fast Turtle, Wampanoag Tribe Member

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Native American Perspective: Fast Turtle, Wampanoag Tribe Member

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As part of Scholastic's The First Thanksgiving student activity, we traveled back to 1621, the year of the first Thanksgiving feast celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians. The following is a conversation held with Russell M. Peters (1929-2002), a Mashpee Wampanoag leader, Native American rights advocate, and author from Brookline, Massachusetts. During the interview, Mr. Peters answered questions as a Wampanoag Indian in 1621, using his Wampanoag name, "Fast Turtle." Below are his answers to questions from students.
Fast Turtle is a Wampanoag who lives in Massipee, the area just west of Plimoth. He has a wife and two children. When he was a boy, Fast Turtle was chosen and trained to be a pniese (pa-NEES), a special kind of warrior counselor.

Each pniese is selected for his spiritual power, physical strength, courage, and wisdom. They advise the chief, or sachem (SAY-chum), and help settle differences with other communities.

Fast Turtle has just returned from the three-day feast in Plimoth. He and the sachem Chief Massasoit were among the 90 Wampanoag who joined the celebration.

Relationships With the Pilgrims

What did you think of the Pilgrims when they first arrived?
When the Mayflower came, first to the outer arm of the Cape and then into Plimoth, we looked on them with apprehension and great curiosity. It was much larger than our biggest canoe. As they landed, they brought a lot of baggage with them and seemed like they were here to stay. We knew that there would be great changes in the way we would live.

Had you ever seen a boat as large as the Mayflower before?
Wampanoags have seen large boats before the Mayflower. Explorers like Verrazzano and Cabot looked around Wampanoag territory. The Vikings from the north frequently sailed into the area. European fishermen from Spain, Portugal, France, and Ireland fished for codfish off our coast years before the Pilgrims came in 1620.

How did you speak with the Pilgrims? Did you speak English or did they speak your language?
Good question. Indians spoke a dialect of the Algonquin language. A few spoke some English even before the Pilgrims landed at Plimoth in 1620. They learned from the English fishermen who fished for cod. Samoset was an Indian who said "Welcome, Englishmen," much to the surprise of Miles Standish and William Bradford. Squanto, a Wampanoag, also spoke English, which he learned when he was in England. When he returned, Squanto served as an interpreter between the English colonists and the Wampanoag people. Eventually, most of the Wampanoags did learn to speak English.

Who were some of the Native Americans who spoke English with the Pilgrims?
Samoset greeted the Pilgrims in English in March of 1621. He strode into the Pilgrims compound and said, "Welcome, Englishmen." The surprised and somewhat apprehensive Standish and Bradford muttered back, "Welcome." They wanted to know where he learned English words, and he told them that he learned a few English words from fishermen who came to the area periodically.

Squanto, a Wampanoag, also spoke English, which he learned when merchants took him to England before 1620. He was an interpreter for the Massasoit and the English colonists. He was particularly helpful to the colonists, and the other Wampanoags were suspicious of Squanto's association with the Englishmen. He died a premature and mysterious death.

Did you ever feel at any time that the Pilgrims were your friends? If you did, when did your feelings change?
Yes, in the beginning there was a fair exchange of good deeds between the Wampanoags and the Pilgrims. During the first harsh winter over half of their number died of cold, malnutrition, and other diseases. During the spring of 1621, the Wampanoags were very helpful in teaching the English to adjust to the climate, the environment around them, and for this the English were grateful. They met the Massasoit Osamequin, who provided protection and help during the next few years.

As the numbers of English increased and the settlements grew, the English began to make demands on the Wampanoags. Attempts were made to make English the language to be spoken. Plimoth Colony extended their court jurisdiction over the Wampanoag people. Missionaries attempted to convert the Wampanoags from their religion to Christianity. These things were done in the interest of improving the Wampanoag mind and spirit, but in the process it did much harm to the native culture and spirituality.

What did the Pilgrims think of you?
The English had been told that the inhabitants of the New World were savages, so they were afraid of the Wampanoags. An Indian named Samoset came into the new village in the spring of 1621 and began a friendship with the Pilgrims. Samoset introduced Miles Standish and William Bradford, Europeans, to the Wampanoag leaders and a friendship was made that lasted for more than 50 years.

What kinds of diseases did the Pilgrims expose the Wampanoag to?
When the Pilgrims landed in 1620, they brought diseases like smallpox and diphtheria. Some English purposely distributed diseased blankets to the unsuspecting Wampanoags, thus wiping out entire villages. Eventually the Wampanoag built up a tolerance for some of these diseases and were able to withstand the terrible effects of European diseases.

Did the Pilgrims turn against you because you had different-colored skin?
The color of their skin did point out the differences. The language differences prevented good communication between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags. It was obvious from the beginning of the Pilgrim-Wampanoag relationship that there was a complete lack of understanding and mutual respect. The English had been told that the Wampanoag people were savages and needed the help of the white man to become civilized.

What were some of the religious differences between Natives and Pilgrims?
The Pilgrims were sometimes called Puritans, a group that had very strong religious beliefs. They were very serious and sanctimonious and felt that the Wampanoags should practice the Puritans' religion, Christianity, and observe their rules of conduct. Keep in mind that these were the same people who were escaping religious persecution in Holland and England.

Can you tell me what effect John Elliot's work had on the Native Americans of New England?
John Elliot was an early missionary who made a valiant effort to Christianize native people. He did not recognize that the Native Americans had their own religion and proceeded to convert them. Praying Indian towns were established in Natick, Roxbury, Mashpee, Martha's Vineyard, and Herring Pond. John Elliot attempted to learn the Algonquin language, and he translated the Bible into that language. The native people were fascinated with the concept of praying and preaching. To them, the ceremony and ritual of the service was interesting, even though they did not understand it. As the English settlements expanded, the Christian praying villages were used as a refuge for Indians who were displaced by the new settlers. When the so-called King Philip's War took place, John Elliot's praying Indian village was evacuated and the Natick Indians were banished to a place called Deer Island, where many of them died over the winter.

What kinds of weapons did the Pilgrims bring? What kind of weapons did the Native Americans have?
When the Pilgrims landed in Plimoth, the military leader was a man named Miles Standish. He and most of the men carried muskets, which were used for hunting and protection of the village. The Wampanoags had no such weapons and were deathly afraid of the white man's musket. We called it a thunderbolt that could kill. The Pilgrims carried a strange book, their Bible, as they marched to church every day. Each was a weapon in its own way, because the Pilgrims wanted the Wampanoags to embrace the Christian religion and to discard their own religion.

The Wampanoags had bows and arrows and spears, which were used for hunting as well as for protection of their territory. In addition, they had tomahawks made of stone and knives made of shells or sharp shale.

Were there ever any confrontations between the white settlers and the Native Americans? If so, what were they?
The Wampanoags had many disagreements with the white man, primarily over land issues. At first the Pilgrims were friendly with the Wampanoags, because they helped them learn the environment and how to survive on the land. As the settlers moved in, they often settled on traditional or ceremonial land of the Wampanoags, which was often hotly disputed. Eventually this led to wars between the English and the Indian tribes around them.

Knowing what you know today about how the Native Americans were sent to reservations, do you wish that your ancestors had never welcomed the Pilgrims?
Life was good before the English came. I am only sorry that we could not share the bounties of this land in a more equal way. In our culture we feel that no one owns the land. The earth belongs to all of us and we are to take care of Mother Earth. It is obvious that the settlers were after land - our land. We now have very little of our land left.

The 1621 Thanksgiving Feast

Tell us about the first Thanksgiving.
In 1621, the Wampanoags were just getting to know the Pilgrims. The English were still learning how to cope with the weather and harsh living conditions. The native people showed the Pilgrims how to gather food, how to fish and hunt. They told them what was good to eat and what not to eat. For those that survived the first harsh winter, we had admiration and helped them to adjust to the new land.

When the Wampanoags helped the Pilgrims bring in their first crop in the new world, there was a great feast during that harvest time. According to the Pilgrims, about 90 Wampanoags crashed the party and brought with them all sorts of delicacies. The Wampanoags usually celebrated their harvests with food and rejoicing. They brought venison (deer meat), wild turkey, rabbit, woodchuck, lobster, clams, mussels, potatoes, sea bass, bluefish, and many other delicious foods. Wampanoags also brought corn, beans, and squash to the feast, and even showed the Pilgrims how to cook the food. The Pilgrims were very appreciative of the gifts, and the 90 Wampanoags who crashed the party had a wonderful time.

When the first Thanksgiving was celebrated, all of the bounties of the land and the sea were made a part of this celebration. The Pilgrims got on their knees, closed their eyes, and thanked their God in their own way. They remained silent for some time, then opened a book and spoke strange things. The Wampanoags thanked the Great Spirit for the all of the bounties and blessings of food and drink that he bestowed upon them.

This became an annual tradition that Americans call Thanksgiving Day.

What was your favorite dish at the first Thanksgiving?
My favorite food at the feast was wild turkey and lobster. I also liked the new English dish they called "Indian Pudding."

Did the Wampanoag people eat turkey before the arrival of the Pilgrims?
Wampanoags ate wild turkey long before the English came to Plimoth Colony. In fact, we introduced the delicious bird to the English on the first celebration held in 1621.

Did the Pilgrims and Native Americans eat with forks and knives like we do?
The Pilgrims ate with their hands and little short tools with which they shoveled food into their mouths. They also used a cloth to wipe their face even as they ate. It was quite strange behavior. The Wampanoags used their hands and fingers to eat their food. We used the Pilgrims' cups to drink water. What a neat way to drink.

Did Hobbamock go to the harvest feast?
Hobbamock was a guide for the Pilgrims when they explored places to settle the new people that were coming to the colony. At the celebration, about 90 Wampanoags joined in the feast, and I believe that Hobbamock was included in the group.

Did you have to travel far to participate in the first Thanksgiving?
I traveled just down the beach from Manomet to Plimoth for the first celebration of the harvest. It took me one hour to get there.

What other activities occurred at the Thanksgiving feast besides eating?
The Wampanoags engaged in games of skill, such as lacrosse and football, but were unable to entice the English to join in the games.

What did you wear to the feast?
I wore my finest deerskin shirt and leggings. The shirt was decorated with the purple shells from the quahog that we got from Popponesset Bay.

Wampanoag Tribe

Who were the Wampanoags?
The Wampanoag people were Eastern Woodland people who spoke a dialect of the Algonquin language. While many of the words are similar, there are dialectal differences. The tribes are located from Canada to South Carolina and west to Wisconsin. We are hunters and gatherers and actually cultivated crops such as corn, squash, and beans. We lived close to the ocean and relied heavily on fish and game for our sustenance. We were a friendly people and enjoyed good relations with the other tribes that lived near us. Some of these tribes are the Massachusetts, the Punkapogs, the Narragansett, and the Nipmuck tribes.

The Wampanoags were here thousands of years before the Pilgrims arrived in Plimoth. When the Pilgrims landed in Plimoth, they landed in the midst of Wampanoag territory and spread their settlements throughout the area. Today, there are still Wampanoag people who live on their land in Mashpee, Gay Head, and other areas in southeastern Massachusetts.

How did the Wampanoag migrate to North America?
I do not know the migration path that the tribes in the Northeast used. However, there is evidence that we have been here for more than 10,000 years.

What does the word Wampanoag mean in English?
Wampanoag means "land where the sun comes up first." We are called "People of the First Light" because we see the sun first.

How many people were in your tribe?
There were more than 5,000 Wampanoag people. Many of our people died from disease brought over by the white man. Later the Wampanoags developed immunity to most of those diseases.

What is it like belonging to a tribal group?
I am very proud to be a Wampanoag. Where I live in Massipee, I can hunt and fish and live in harmony with Mother Earth. We have the ocean, bays, rivers, and lakes, which are filled with fish. My family has a good home and we are happy with our Wampanoag way of life.

What are some the names of your neighboring tribes?
To the west of us are the Narragansett tribe and the Pequot tribe. To the north are the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, and the Malisite tribes. To the northwest are the Nipmuck and the Mohawk tribes. And to the northeast are the Mohegan, Schaghticoke, Malaseet, and Mic Mac. We are all part of the Algonquin-language group, but speak different dialects of that language.

How did the Wampanoags travel around?
The Wampanoag people traveled mostly by foot. They moved from their winter homes, which were well inland, to a place where they planted their crops in the early spring. After a month or so at the fields, they packed up and moved closer to the ocean, where they caught herring, clams, oysters, and lobster.

Sometimes they had clambakes for the entire tribe during the warm days of summer. They played games, swam in the ocean, and rejuvenated themselves after the long hard winter. In the fall at harvest time, they retraced their steps and harvested their crops and prepared for the winter. Finally, they moved back to their winter place to complete the cycle.

Did the Wampanoags have horses in their villages?
The Wampanoags did not have horses before the Europeans came to these shores.

What is your chief's name?
My chief's name is Osamequin. Osamequin means "Yellow Feather." The Pilgrims call him Massasoit. Massasoit is the Wampanoag word for sachem, or chief. He is the Grand Sachem of the Wampanoag people.

Who was the greatest chief of all times?
The greatest Wampanoag chief was Osamequin.

What was the most popular Indian name?
A popular Indian name was Tisquantum, from which the name Squanto derived.

How many Indian tribes are there in all?
There are more than 500 federally recognized Indian tribes in the United States, and many more that do not have treaties with the United States. In New England, where the Wampanoag people live, there are 15 Indian tribes. Most of them have land near the ocean.

How did the Wampanoag people communicate without having television, radio, or computers?
The Wampanoag people had a communication system that is still used today. They relied on the spoken word and symbols that told a story and sometimes recorded history. Sometimes they used drums to send messages to tribe members who were some distance away. Smoke signals were also used. The young men were trained in running long distances. The training gave them endurance and strength to carry messages from one place to another.

It is hard to imagine a world without TV, radio, and computers, but the Wampanoag children did just fine without them. They hunted and fished, built wigwams and canoes. They did things that were necessary for survival.

What group of people were the first to make contact with the Wampanoags?
The first foreign people to come visit my people were the Viking explorers. That is when we first saw metal weapons and tools. The size of their boats just blew our minds. It was a very memorable experience.

Daily Needs of the Wampanoag

What are the natural resources that you used to help meet your basic needs?
The Wampanoag people were close to the earth and were able to get food and clothing from animals that they hunted. Wampanoags grew vegetables, such as corn, beans, and squash. These vegetables were called the "Three Sisters." The Wampanoags also used herbs and roots for medicines and preservatives for food. Their shelter was made of cedar saplings and bark. This housing was called a wetu. It was quite comfortable, even in the winter. The cooking fire was inside, and the smoke was able to get out through a hole in the roof.

How did the Wampanoags keep themselves clean? Where did you bathe?
They used leaves or grass or other organic material to clean themselves after going to the bathroom. They took showers when it rained, and bathed in ponds and pools almost every season, except during the extreme cold winter months. Wampanoag people were very clean. They swam in the warm weather and went to the sweat lodge in the cold weather.

How did you brush your teeth?
We brushed our teeth with mint leaves and short pine bristles. The mint leaves a refreshing taste in the mouth.

How did you get your water?
Wampanoags had a plentiful source of water. Some came from underground springs, but our main source of water was the rivers and lakes in the Massipee area.

Can you tell us about your sleeping habits?
I am in the habit of going to bed when the sun goes down. I awake at sunrise and love to see the sun rise over the ocean. Morning is special to me.

How were sick people cared for? What happened to people who became really ill?
Every tribe had a medicine man or medicine woman who was familiar with remedies for almost every kind of illness. The Wampanoags also had a sweat lodge which was used when illness required it.

Wampanoag Children

Did Wampanoag children receive their education in a formal school-type atmosphere? Was education different for boys than girls?
We did not have school in the same way you have school. We had no TV, computers, visual aids, radios, or school buses. Before the English came to these shores, Wampanoag children learned how to do things by watching their parents or tribal elders. The village was the classroom, and the extended family was the teacher.

The young girls learned from following their mothers, aunts, and elders of the community. They watched their mothers gather wood, light fires, and cook the food for the family. They also learned how to stretch and tan leather for clothing and also how to sew. They learned how to gather food and berries, plant crops, tan leather from animal skins, make a wigwam, and cook. The learning sometimes took long hours and over many years before the girls grew into young women and had their own families.

Young boys learned at the side of their fathers, uncles, and tribal elders. The adults taught us about the seasons, what animals were good, where the fish were located and how to catch them. We became proficient with the bow and arrow and spear and learned to run long distances. For boys, our jobs were to be good hunters, fisherman, and protectors of the Wampanoag territory.

So the answer to your question is that the Wampanoag lived in a different environment that called for a drastically different way of learning what was necessary to survive. As kids, we played games that developed our skills and body coordination. We also learned endurance so that we could travel long distances in preparation for future endeavors.

Do Wampanoag girls and boys help with the corn planting?
Young girls and boys are taught how to gather rocks and sit in the corn watch to drive away birds and animals that get into the garden to steal the seeds. A corn watch is a tower erected near the cornfields.

What games did Wampanoag girls and boys play?
Early on, both boys and girls played many games that developed their hand and eye coordination, so they could develop other skills as they grew older. Some of the games were the ring and pin game, lacrosse, football, swimming games, and long-distance running races. All of these games were used to develop endurance, accuracy, and precision.

Did Wampanoag children have pets back in the 1600s?
Wampanoag children had pets such as dogs, which were used for hunting and protection of the village, rabbits, skunk, and some other wild animals that they could train. The children had to keep a sharp eye on their pets lest they wind up in someone's pot for supper.

If a skunk was going to become a pet, it had to be de-scented first. After that, the skunk was a delightful friend. They did not have pigs or domesticated cats.

Baby bears also made good pets while they were small, but when they got older there were two problems. One, big bears ate a lot of food. Two, as they got larger they became dangerous. They were returned to the wild.

When you were a boy, what was the hardest thing in life?
As a Wampanoag boy, the hardest thing in life was keeping warm in the winter. To prepare for the harsh months, my family worked hard all year to make sure there was enough clothing and blankets to keep us warm when the snow fell. We had to help the tribal adults gather food that could be stored and saved for those hard months. We learned the habits of the winter animals so that we could track them in the snow so we could have meat and fur in the winter. It was my job to gather and store wood for the fire we used for heating and cooking. We had a busy life just to survive. We also had games to keep us occupied so that we would not be bored stiff. Our elders were great storytellers who gave us the history of our tribe and great stories about our hunters and warriors.

Why did 11-year-old boys have to go out by themselves and live in the woods?
If their trainer felt that a Wampanoag boy was ready, when the boy was 11 or 12, he was tested to determine if his hunting skills were developed. This was his school, and hunting was a very important lesson to learn.

Food and Hunting

How did the Wampanoags get their food? Did the Wampanoags ever face starvation?
Traditionally, the Wampanoag women planted food crops such as beans, corn, and squash. These were staple foods that could remain edible for many months. The Wampanoags also grew potatoes, which were another hearty food that would keep well in the winter months. In addition we were great hunters and fishermen who fed our families deer, rabbit, woodchuck, and duck, as well as all sorts of fish. The saltwater bays near the ocean provided food such as quahogs, clams, oysters, and mussels. We always knew what was in season so that we never went hungry or faced starvation.

Wampanoags were also great cooks. Even the men knew how to make a clambake big enough to feed the whole tribe. For desserts, there were wild strawberries, plums, cranberries, and other wild fruit.

Life was good before the Europeans came, and we enjoyed all the bounties provided to us by the Great Spirit. Occasionally, we would have a feast to thank the Great Spirit for the generous bounties he bestowed upon us. After the Europeans settled on our land, many changes took place which affected all the Wampanoags.

What kinds of food did the Wampanoag like to eat?
The Wampanoags ate all kinds of game animals, including deer, bear, rabbit, woodchuck, skunk, turtle, and squirrel. In addition, the Wampanoag ate a wide variety of fish. Mashpee Lake contained bass, pickerel, sunfish, and perch. In the spring, herring would darken the Mashpee River; there were so many of them, one could catch the herring with one's hands. Also, in Popponessett Bay, there was an abundance of shellfish, including quahogs, oysters, clams, and mussels. The bay was also filled with eels, which are delicious when cooked right, and lobster, crabs, flatfish, scup, and occasionally sea bass. Wampanoags also liked pheasant, wild duck, and the geese from up north.

What are the "Three Sisters?"
Wampanoags call corn, beans, and squash the "Three Sisters," because they were compatible and could grow in the same hill of earth.The corn grew, and the beans used the corn stalk to climb, and the squash just spread out to the side.

What kind of corn do you eat?
I eat crystal white corn, which was a special strain of corn grown in Mashpee.

Describe a typical hunt.
I was sent out on a hunting expedition to gather meat for our tribe. I left just before the full moon in order to have light at night for traveling and hunting. I was after deer and moose, although I would have liked to encounter a black bear. I also wanted to be able to find any of these animals close to home so that I would not have to carry the animal so far. A moose or bear are very heavy and would require much strength to carry them back home.

Before the hunt, my friends and I offered a prayer for the animals that we were going to kill. We know that even the animals have spirits and we want them to know that we have respect for the life they are about to give up for our tribe. Our hunting party got a deer and a bear on this trip, and we made sure that we used all parts of the animals. We stripped the fur for clothing and for blankets. The meat was carefully packed to take back to our village. The bear grease was saved for cooking and medicinal purposes.

On the third day, our hunt was over, and we returned to camp with enough food to feed the entire village. The Medicine Man said a prayer to thank the Great Spirit for a successful hunt.

Are you a hunter?
I am a great hunter and have learned to hunt for food since I was a little boy. My father and my uncles taught me to hunt and fish for food for the tribe. Game is plentiful in Mashpee, and we learned the habits of the animals as part of our training. We also learned not to kill any animal unless it was going to be eaten for food.

Before we kill an animal, we offer a prayer to the Great Spirit and pay our respects to the animal. If the Great Spirit guides our arrow straight, then we make sure to use all parts of the animal. The tribe eats the meat, the bones are used for tools, and the skin is used for moccasins or clothing. Thus, we have paid our respects to the animal.

Do Wampanoags use guns for hunting and for protection?
Wampanoags do not have guns. We use bows and arrows and clubs for hunting and for protecting our territory.

How were deer hunted?
The Wampanoag people are very respectful of anything that has a life, including deer. We only hunt deer when there is a need for food. A prayer is offered for the deer, and then the hunt begins. When a deer comes into range, the hunter shoots with great accuracy to bring the deer down with as little pain as possible. When the deer is processed, the Wampanoags use every part of the animal. The hide is used for clothing or moccasins, the meat for food for the tribe, and the horns and hooves are used for tools. A prayer is offered to the Great Spirit to thank him for the deer.

Are there any buffalo near your home? What kinds of animals do you hunt for food?
There are no buffalo near Mashpee. They are located in the plains of the West, where they have plenty of grass and grain to eat. Near Mashpee, we have bear, deer, moose, wild turkey, rabbit, woodchuck, skunk, and birds of all kinds. We use all of these for food, and the skins of some animals for clothing and shelter.

How did the Wampanoags make rope for their hunting snares? Who made the snares, men or women?
The Wampanoags were able to weave the rope out of hemp and tall grass. You probably saw woven mats inside the wetu. Both men and women were very proficient in making the snares, although the men were the ones who usually tended the traps to get the animals caught in the snares. Animals such as beaver, woodchuck, rabbit, and other small animals were caught this way.

What are your favorite foods?
My favorite food is lobster, stuffed with blue claw crab taken fresh from Popponessett Bay. To go along with this, I will have fresh yellow corn, potatoes, and wild onions. As an appetizer, I will have steamed clams with a few mussels thrown in. For dessert, I will have Indian pudding. This is not a meal to hurry. The meal is served over a three- or four-hour period, with adequate time to nap.

How were your canoes made?
The Wampanoags made two types of canoes. The one you saw at Plimoth Plantation at the Wampanoag Village was a wooden dugout canoe. It is made by selecting a large, wide-girth pine tree that is then carved out. We don't have metal axes, so the primary method of making the canoe is by burning out the inside. Once the fires are lit, they must be carefully tended lest they burn a hole on the boat. After many countless days of burning and gouging, the canoe is ready for launching. It is very heavy, but once in the water it is good transportation.

The other type of canoe that the Wampanoags used were made of supple cedar or ash saplings. These were bent into shape and covered with bark from a white birch tree. The bark was sewn with deerskin leather and sealed with pine pitch. This made a very swift boat that could travel long distances.

Tools and Weapons

How do you make your tools?
The Wampanoags used many things to make tools. We made our tools out of things that were available around us. For example, we used quahog shells to scrape leather, squash gourds, hold water, and manipulate animal horns and bones into tools. Rocks and shale were used to make axes or tomahawks. Certain types of stone could be used to make arrows for bows or flint for making fire.

How do you use your weapons? What are your weapons like?
Wampanoag men protect their villages. They learn how to make and use things like bows and arrows as toys when they are little. As they grow older and develop their skills, they learn how to use these for hunting and then for protection against enemies. They also know how to make knives from sharp rocks and shale. They also use roots and rocks to make war clubs.

How sharp were your arrows? What materials were they made from? What about knives?
Our arrows were very sharp. They were made of flintstone, rocks, and shells. Knives were made of sharp shells or flintstone and sometimes bones of animals.

How did you make your pots and pans?
Wampanoags made clay pottery. Some vessels were used to carry water, others were used for cooking. Before the English came, we did not have metal pots for cooking. If we needed to cook something, we cooked over a fire. Sometimes we cooked on hot rocks with seaweed to have a feast such as a clambake.

Is giving pots a sign of affection in your culture?
Wampanoags only got metal pots after the English came to these shores. Wampanoag people were excellent pottery makers and made exotic pottery vases and pots. These were used to hold liquid and for cooking. Sometimes, the pots were given as gifts as a show of affection.

Houses

In what kind of homes did Wampanoag live?
Wampanoag people lived in wetus, or wigwams, which were made of ash or cedar saplings that were bent into an arch and covered with bark from poplar or ash trees. There was a hole in the roof to let the smoke from the cooking fire out of the wetu. Inside there were sleeping racks covered with animal furs to make a comfortable sleeping pallet. The wigwam, or wetu, was warm and provided comfort in the winter and coolness in the summer.

Did you ever live in a teepee or a pueblo?
Teepees were built by the Indian tribes who lived on the plains, where the buffalo roam. Pueblo Indians who lived in the Southwest built pueblo structures of mud, clay, and straw. Oftentimes they would build their homes on the side of cliffs and in the hills of the Southwest.

How big was a wigwam inside? What did you put inside it?
Wigwams, or wetus, were usually made for a single family and were big enough to accommodate the mother, father, and all the kids. The wetu had benches for sitting or sleeping. The beds were covered with deerskin and keept us nice and warm at night. Some foods were hung from the sides of the wetu, and clothing and furs were laid out on the benches. Food and pottery were stored under the benches. A fire pit was in the center of the wetu, under a hole in the roof. The fire heated the house and was also used for cooking. Sometimes I used bulrush mats to keep me warm.

How were longhouses built? What were they like?
Wampanoags built longhouses for two or more families and for tribal meetings. The longhouse was built of cedar saplings, which were bent in a curved shape and tied with hemp. As the longhouse took shape, some members of the tribe stripped bark from the trees to cover the frame of the house. A hole flap was cut above the fire pit, which could be opened to let the smoke out. There was a hole flap for each fire in the longhouse. The longhouses and wetus were comfortable both summer or winter.

Clothes and Jewelry

What is your clothing made of? How long does it take to make a complete outfit?
My clothing is made of deerskin, which is designed to keep me warm and to prevent bushes and twigs from scratching my skin. My moccasins are made of rabbit skin on the inside and deerskin on the outside.

I am fortunate to be married to a good woman who knows how to scrape and tan the leather of animals that I get. The tanning process takes a few days to scrape and soften the leather. The sewing of the clothing will take a couple of days.

If my wife feels extra generous, she will decorate my tunic with feathers and brightly colored quahog shells. Small pieces of leather can be used for a hat, and a beaded belt would finish off the outfit. Total time to complete the outfit would be about one and a half to two weeks.

How did you make beads for your necklace? For what purposes were the beads used?
The Wampanoags made their own jewelry from things that were readily available to them. Quahog jewelry was the most popular for Wampanoag men and women. The quahog is a hard-shelled clam taken from the saltwater bays around Mashpee. The shell is hard, and the outer part of the shell is a deep purple. The shell was broken, and the purple part of the shell was shaped into beads. Wampanoag quahog beads were famous throughout Indian country and were used as items of trade and for ceremonial gifts to other tribal leaders. The Wampanoags used these beads to decorate their clothing and head dresses.

What else did Wampanoags use for jewelry and decorations?
Wampanoags also used feathers, shells, deer antlers, and red ochre to create colorful decorations.

I've noticed that eagle feathers were worn in the headdress of some braves but not all. Why was this?
The eagle feather was highly prized and was usually earned by the warriors for a brave or unusual deed. The eagle feather was worn with pride.

Why did women do so much of the work?
Wampanoag women performed many functions in the tribal village, but so did the men. The work was divided according to who had the skills. Making clothing was a woman's job, and indeed it was hard work. The men, on the other hand, did the hunting and fishing and protected the village. This, too, was hard work, which was necessary to sustain the village.

Beliefs and Celebrations

What is your religion?
The Wampanoag people generally practice Wampanoag Spiritualism. In this religion, our people believe in the bounties of Mother Earth and thank the animals, the plants, the winged ones, and the fish from the ocean, as well as all things which create the circle of life. Today, many of our people practice some form of Christianity. However, at events such as births or deaths or weddings, the Medicine Man is called upon to perform traditional tribal ceremonies.

How and why did the Wampanoags celebrate?
The Wampanoag people were very close to Mother Earth and many of their celebrations came at a time when there was a change in the season. For example, the spring celebration was especially joyous after a long cold winter. They would dance and sing around the fire, feast on venison and rabbit and tell stories of days gone by. These celebrations served the purpose of reinforcing the history of the tribe through oral tradition and of giving the tribal elders a position of honor.

In the summer, the Wampanoags hold a traditional powwow, which is still carried on today. Tribes from all over the country join us in this celebration. The Wampanoags conduct tribal business and the Medicine Man conducts name-giving ceremonies.

The fall celebrations usually are related to the harvest and huge feasts are held to celebrate the blessings given by the Great Spirit.

In the winter, the tribe gathers in the longhouse for social events or to celebrate a successful hunt. Food plays an important role in Wampanoag celebrations, and much credit is given to the creator for providing all these blessings.

Do the Northwest Indians still have potlaches?
Yes, the Northwest Indians still have potlaches, and the tradition is spreading east to the Wampanoags. In our potlach, the Wampanoags exchange gifts and try to give away things of value to other people in the tribe.

Did your family get to attend feasts such as the clambakes?
My family always attended the feasts, especially the clambake. The clambake was a community event, and everyone participated in doing the work. When the food was cooked, everyone ate to their heart's content. Clambakes are still done today in the traditional way of the Wampanoag.

About Fast Turtle

How did you get your name? What is your name in the Wampanoag language?
My name was given to me by the Supreme Medicine Man of the Wampanoag Nation. I am of the Turtle Clan, and since the Medicine Man was my brother, who is named Slow Turtle, he used a little humor to give me my name, because as a young boy I could run very fast. I used to run the quarter mile in 50 seconds. After I graduated from college, he thought Fast Turtle would be a good name for me. In the Wampanoag language I would be called Chicatoonipa Pinchek.

What are the names and ages of your children?
My children are named Tisquantum, aged 10, and Noonapokus, aged 7. They are both well into their apprenticeship. Noonapokus is already a good cook. She is named Wood Turtle because she has red hair similar in color to the underbelly of the wood turtle. Tisquantum is a great hunter and has already shot five deer with his bow and arrow.

Wampanoags Today

Where do you live presently? Why do you enjoy living there?
I live in Brookline, Massachusetts, and in Mashpee, Massachusetts. I like Mashpee the best because it is on Cape Cod, near the ocean and wonderful freshwater lakes. Growing up there was a great experience, because there was plenty of space for hunting and fishing. The Wampanoags have an Indian Meeting House, which was built in 1684 by the early Christian missionaries. They still live in the same place as their ancestors. I like being close to Popponessett Bay, where there is an abundance of shellfish. The scup and flatfish are plentiful, and wild plums thrive in the summer months. We enjoy many of the same things as our ancestors.

What are some of your hobbies? Do you have modern-day conveniences?
Some of the hobbies that I enjoy are golf, bridge, music, and on occasion, I write poetry. I have written three books: The Wampanoags of Mashpee; Clambake, and Regalia. Most of the poems and books I write are about Mashpee and the Wampanoags. I feel that this is important, because most of the history of this part of the country is about the Pilgrims. I am interested in telling the story of the Wampanoag people.

I have modern-day things such as a Ford Taurus, a set of golf clubs, radio, television, and a Power Macintosh computer.

Do Wampanoag still celebrate an annual feast?
We have a number of feasts during the year. Wampanoags usually have a celebration when the seasons change or when the men have had a successful hunt or when the lobsters are plentiful, and particularly in the fall, when the crops are harvested. The clambake is one feast that is held when the clams and lobsters are plentiful. Large rocks are heated, and the food is cooked on the rocks for the entire tribe. After a hunt, deer, rabbit, wild turkey, and other delicious game foods are cooked over fires in the village compound. The Medicine Man always gives thanks to the Great Spirit for the bounties of Mother Earth.

From a historical perspective, how do the Wampanoags view the importance of the first Thanksgiving?
In looking back on this event, many Wampanoags view the feast in the fall of 1621 as a significant, but sad, event that led to the settlement of Wampanoag land by English settlers. At the time of the feast, it was quite natural to celebrate the bounties of the fall harvest and the availability of deer, wild turkey, fish, and foul. The Wampanoags shared their knowledge of the land and sea around them with the Pilgrims. This could have been the beginning of a genuine and lasting friendship, but it did not happen. This could have been caused by language and cultural and spiritual differences.

We were different, but the differences were not irreconcilable. The Pilgrims, who were escaping religious persecution in Europe, were quick to impose their religious beliefs on the Wampanoags without stopping to realize that these people had a religion of their own. While they were literate and rational along European standards, the Europeans knew little about survival in a world where they were not surrounded by food and comforts of life. The Wampanoags, on the other hand, were as one with the earth and their surroundings. They knew how to build sustainable shelters, understood the food sources, and could clothe themselves. They knew how to make canoes and could travel anywhere in winter or summer. The Wampanoags also belonged to the Algonquin-language group, which covered a wide geographic area; thus they were able to communicate with people from what is now Canada to South Carolina and west to Wisconsin.

If I could go back to 1621, I would work very hard to create a good working relationship with the Pilgrims that would include mutual respect for language and culture. There is so much that could be shared that would make the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags stronger. For this we would be truly thankful.

Can you give us any unique information about the Wampanoag?
When you study the Wampanoag people, you are studying the tribe that first had contact with the English. The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is still in the same area as when the Pilgrims landed in 1620. There are plans to create a Wampanoag historic district in Mashpee.

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Native American Perspective: Fast Turtle, Wampanoag Tribe Member | Scholastic

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As part of Scholastic's The First Thanksgiving student activity, we traveled back to 1621, the year of the first Thanksgiving feast celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians. The following is a conversation held with Russell M. Peters (1929-2002), a Mashpee Wampanoag leader, Native American rights advocate, and author from Brookline, Massachusetts.

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2011 17th-Century English Village Virtual Field Trip

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This is "2011 17th-Century English Village Virtual Field Trip" by Plimoth Patuxet Museums on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who...

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Effects of European Colonization: Christopher Columbus and Native Americans - video

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Effects of European Colonization: Christopher Columbus and Native Americans - video

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Effects of European Colonization: Christopher Columbus and Native Americans

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Christopher Columbus: What Really Happened - video

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Christopher Columbus: What Really Happened - video

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Explorers for Kids: Christopher Columbus

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Kids learn about the biography and life of explorer Christopher Columbus. He discovered the Americas for Spain.

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Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was a Genoese trader, explorer, and navigator. He was born in Genoa, Italy, in the year 1451. "Christopher Columbus" is the English version of Columbus's name. His name in Italian was Cristoforo Colombo.

In 1492, Columbus sailed from Spain to find a faster route from Asia to Europe. He landed instead on an island of the Bahamas. He is credited with the discovery of the New World because Europeans began colonizing America shortly after his voyage. While Leif Erikson was the first European to land on the soils of America, it was not well documented and did not lead to the later contact between Europe and the New World.

Columbus died on May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, Spain.

Discovery of America

Columbus was not the first European person to have discovered America. At the time of his voyage, Europeans did not know that the Americas existed. However, Leif Erikson had landed in what is now Canada around AD 1000. Native Americans had lived there for thousands of years before he arrived. However, Native Americans did not record or add to the European record of history, so Columbus discovered America according to European history.

Voyage in 1492

However, Columbus did not have enough money to pay for this voyage on his own. He went to the rulers of Spain, Ferdinand II and Isabella I of Castile, to ask for help. He promised to bring back gold and spices for them, and they promised their help. After they defeated the Emirate of Granada, Ferdinand and Isabella paid for Columbus's voyage.

In August 1492, Columbus and his sailors left Spain in three ships: the Santa María (the Holy Mary), the (the Painted), and the Santa Clara ( nicknamed the : the Little Girl).

The three ships were very small. Historians think that the largest ship, the Santa María, was only about 60 ft (18 m) long, and about 16 to 19 feet (4.8 to 5.8 m) wide. Columbus's other ships were even smaller. Historians think they were about 50-60 ft (15-18 m) long.

On October 12, 1492, after sailing for about four months, Columbus landed on a small island in the Bahamas. The natives called it Guanahani; Columbus renamed it San Salvador Island ("Holy Savior"). He met Lucayan, Taíno, and Arawak Native Americans who lived on the island. They were friendly and peaceful toward Columbus and his crew. Because Columbus did not know where he was, and thought he had reached Asia, the "Indies," he called them "Indians." He claimed their land as Spain's.

Columbus then sailed to what is now Cuba, then to Hispaniola. On Hispaniola, Columbus built a fort. This was one of the first European military bases in the Western Hemisphere. He called it Navidad (Spanish for " Christmas"). He left thirty-nine crew members there and ordered them to find and store gold.

Treatment of native people

On the day he landed in the Bahamas, Columbus wrote about the Arawaks and Taíno. He thought they would make good servants. He planned to take six of them with him when he left. He noticed that some of the Arawaks had gold earrings. He took some of them as prisoners and ordered them to lead him to the gold. However, they could not.

Second voyage

Then he went back to the Navidad fort and found the fort burned down. Eleven of the 39 soldiers Columbus left at the fort were buried there. The rest had disappeared. Historians think this happened because of disease and fights with the Arawak people.

Treatment of native people

The soldiers that Columbus left at Navidad while he was exploring Jamaica and Cuba stopped working. They began stealing from the Arawaks. This made the Arawaks decide to fight back against the Spaniards. However, Spain had many weapons that the Arawaks had never seen, including steel swords, pikes, crossbows, dogs, and horses. It was easy for Spain to win fights against the Arawaks.

Columbus also took revenge against the Arawaks for killing his soldiers at Navidad. He made every native older than 14 give him a certain amount of gold every three months. If they could not pay the gold, people would be made into slaves.

There was not much gold on the parts of the island Columbus took over. Many Arawaks tried to run away from Columbus and his men. However, Columbus's soldiers used dogs to hunt them down.

Start of the transatlantic slave trade

In February 1495, Columbus started the transatlantic slave trade. He and his soldiers captured about 1,500 Taíno. 400 were let go, 600 were kept on the island as slaves to the soldiers, and 500 were sailed back to Spain. Of those 500, about 200 died during the trip, and half of the rest were very sick when they arrived. This was the first time people had ever been shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to be sold as slaves.

Third voyage

In 1498, Columbus set out to find a continent that King John II of Portugal believed was to the southwest of the Cape Verde islands. Columbus sent three ships straight to the West Indies (the Caribbean). He led another three ships: first to two Portuguese islands, then to the Canary Islands, then to Cape Verde. From Cape Verde, they sailed to the northern coast of South America and landed in Trinidad. He also explored part of South America and the islands now called Tobago and Grenada.

Treatment of native people

When he was trying to make the Spanish settlers happy, Columbus started the Encomienda system in Hispaniola. He "gave" land, or even a whole village, to a Spanish settler. Any natives that were living on the land were forced to work for that Spanish settler.

Arrest and the last voyage

On August 23, 1500, Columbus was arrested in Hispaniola, now called Santo Domingo, for cruelty to natives and Spaniards. He was sent to Spain in chains in October 1500. He was released on December 12, 1500, and taken to court. Columbus had important friends, and the King restored his freedom. He was allowed to lead another voyage.

Columbus made a fourth voyage in 1502- 1504. On this voyage, he explored the coast of Central America from Belize to Panama. In 1502, off the coast of what is now Honduras, a trading ship "as long as a galley" was encountered, filled with cargo. This was the first recorded encounter by the Spanish with the Native American civilization of Mesoamerica.

Later Columbus was stranded on Jamaica for a year; he sent two men by canoe to get help from Hispaniola. In the meantime, he impressed the local population by correctly predicting an eclipse of the moon. Help finally arrived, and he returned to Spain in 1504.

Later life and death

In his later years, Columbus demanded that the Spanish Crown give him 10% of all profits made in the new lands, according to earlier agreements. His demands were rejected. His family later sued for part of the profits from trade with America, but ultimately lost about fifty years later.

On May 20, 1506, Columbus died of heart failure and arthritis in Valladolid, Spain, at the possible age of 54. He was still convinced that his discoveries were along the East Coast of Asia. Even after his death, his travels continued with his body first buried in Valladolid and then in Seville. The will of his son Diego, who was governor of Hispaniola, had the remains transferred to Santo Domingo in 1542. In 1795 the French took over, and the body was moved to Havana. After the war of 1898, Cuba became independent and Columbus's remains were moved back to Spain, to the cathedral of Seville. However, some claim that he is still buried in the cathedral of Santo Domingo.

Personal life

Columbus's relatives said that Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy. Today, no historian can say for sure where Columbus was born. Most experts think the best evidence says he was born in Genoa. However, other historians think Columbus was born somewhere else, like Spain or Portugal. His father was Domenico Colombo, a wool weaver who worked in Genoa and Savona and who also owned a cheese stand at which young Christopher worked as a helper. His mother was Susanna Fontanarossa. He had three brothers - Bartolomeo, Giovanni Pellegrino, and Giacomo (also called Diego) - and a sister named Bianchinetta. His brother Bartolomeo ran a cartography workshop in Lisbon for at least part of his adulthood.

His native language is thought to have been a Genoese dialect. His name in the 16th-century Genoese language was Cristoffa Corombo. His name in Italian is Cristoforo Colombo, and in Spanish Cristóbal Colón.

Columbus wrote that he first went to sea when he was 14 years old. In 1470, the Colombo family moved to Savona, where Domenico took over a tavern.

In 1477, Columbus married Felipa Moniz Perestrelo. She was from a semi- noble family with connections to sailing. She died around 1479 or 1480 while giving birth to their son, Diego.

In 1485, while in Córdoba, Spain, Columbus met Beatriz Enríquez de Trasierra. They lived together for a while. They had one child named Fernando. Columbus's first son Diego did not take care of Beatriz as Columbus had instructed him.

Being ambitious, Columbus eventually learned Latin, Portuguese, and Castilian. He read about astronomy, geography, and history, including the works of Claudius Ptolemy, Pierre Cardinal d'Ailly's Imago Mundi, the travels of Marco Polo and Sir John Mandeville, Pliny's Natural History, and Pope Pius II's Historia Rerum Ubique Gestarum.

Columbus's goals

Columbus journeyed to the New World with goals in mind. First, he believed he could find a shorter and easier route to Asia, which made things Europe did not. Some people said this was nonsense. Columbus wanted to prove these people wrong.

After Columbus

The Spanish conquistadors first settled on the islands of Hispaniola (now the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Cuba, and Puerto Rico. They seized as much gold as they could.

In the United States, Columbus Day is a holiday that celebrates Columbus's arrival in the New World on October 12, 1492. The World's Columbian Exposition, which happened in 1893 in Chicago, Illinois, was held to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus visiting the Americas.

Interesting facts about Christopher Columbus

The real name that he was given when he was born in Genoa was Cristoforo Colombo.

Many people during the time of Columbus believed that the Earth was flat.

Before his famous voyages, he used to sell maps and charts.

The first land they saw in America was the island of San Salvador, 375 miles off of the coast of Florida.

Columbus never actually set foot on mainland America.

Seville Cathedral in Spain, and the Columbus Lighthouse at Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic both claim to have Columbus's bones. In 2016 a DNA analysis said that the bones in Spain were his.

Christopher Columbus Quotes

"You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

"Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World."

"Nothing that results in human progress is achieved with unanimous consent. Those that are enlightened before the others are condemned to pursue that light in spite of the others."

Related pages
Egg of Columbus
Images for kids

In Spanish: Cristóbal Colón para niños

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Learn Christopher Columbus facts for kids

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European colonization of the Americas started with the Vikings who came from Scandinavia, the north end of Europe around the year 1000. They settled in what was later called Newfoundland and called their colony Vinland, but abandoned it.

In 1492 Columbus rediscovered America. Soon Spanish conquistadores and many other Europeans went to stay. Different European countries took different territories, and fought over who should get which land. Natives died in great numbers. The survivors lost most of their land, and most learned the language of their conquerors.

After a series of wars in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, most of the colonies became independent countries.

In 1300s - 1400s people in western Europe searched for trading routes between the Indies and Europe, because the old spice trade route was too hard and too long. Prices were also high because groups of merchants controlled the trade and could charge whatever they wished. Some geographers thought the world was so small, ships could sail west around the world to reach East Asia. The Genoese sea captain Christoforo Columbo persuaded Queen Isabella of Castile to finance an expedition to do this.

In August 1492, Columbus left southern Spain with three ships: Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. On October 12, after weeks at sea, the ships reached an island in the Bahamas. Columbus named this island San Salvador. He thought it was an island of India, so he called the people "Indians". Columbus next sailed farther into the Caribbean, reaching Cuba where he saw people smoking tobacco. Then he sailed back to Spain. The King and Queen gave Columbus many honors.

On his later voyages Columbus took more men, including missionaries. The ships also carried farm animals and supplies to establish colonies. He established a new settlement on an island that is now the Dominican Republic.

After they realized that they found a " New World" but not a new route to Asia, the main task of the Spanish was to gain the new lands. The conquistadors had permission from the Queen to explore and conquer the New World.

Spanish conquistadors with only a few hundred soldiers defeated large Indian empires. In 1519 Hernando Cortes and few hundred soldiers marched into Aztec capital and eventually destroyed the city, later rebuilt as Mexico City. Francisco Pizarro was able to conquer the Inca Empire. The Spanish won for several reasons. Indians thought that they were Gods and they were afraid of horses and guns. The Indians also fought each other.

Colonizing Nations

The Spanish and Portuguese people were the first to colonize many parts of South America and Central America in the 16th century. They also won many parts of North America. In the next century, people from many countries of Europe reached the Americas. They settled mostly in North America since the Spanish and Portuguese already had the warm countries. France and England were the most successful in these later colonies. England took the middle of eastern North America, and the French took what they could further north. Eventually, the English colonists took over most of the French territory.

The people in the southern English colonies sought gold at first. However, they had good soil, and because of this they could grow cash crops, starting with tobacco. The English people in colonies further north could not grow these crops so easily. The ones who started New England were Puritans and wanted to be free from the Anglicans back home. The Middle Colonies were more commercial. They traded furs, and grew food for themselves and the other English colonies and later exported some back to England.

The Spanish settled in Central America and South America, mining for gold and silver, and farming tobacco, the Spanish had a surplus of labor, because they used the Natives to do the work for them, this was called Encomienda. In some places this system killed too many of the natives, so they imported slaves from Africa. The Portuguese grew much sugar and other tropical cash crops in Brazil and imported many Africans for this purpose. They were the biggest buyers in the Atlantic slave trade.

France had colonies in the Caribbean, and also in the north of the North American mainland which they called Canada. In the north they were looking for what we call the Northwest Passage, finding a route to Asia. They had a low population, forcing them to cooperate with the natives to survive. The French had major profits in the fur trade until they lost Canada in the French and Indian War. The French Caribbean colonies were warm and good for farming, so they bought many slaves. French Canada had poor farmland, so no slaves.

Related pages

Images for kids

In Spanish: Colonización europea de América para niños

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European colonization of the Americas Facts for Kids

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Learn European colonization of the Americas facts for kids

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Test your Native IQ with a unique 10-item quiz on Native American topics -- the answers may surprise you!

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Each year on October 19, Yorktown Day commemorates the surrender of General Cornwallis' British and German troops at Yorktown to General Washington's Allied American and French troops in 1781 and recognize the sacrifices of those who fought to win American independence.

What did people in the 17th century do when they got sick? Join us at Jamestown Settlement to find out what an apothecary is and why he would keep a garden. Master science skills as you learn about how plants became medicines.

How did English settlers in Virginia get food in a strange land? Explore the importance of agriculture at Jamestown and learn why chickens, greyhounds and other animals lived in the fort - hint: not every animal was there to be eaten!

Are you washing your hands and clothes a lot these days? Laundry was much harder to do in the 17th century than with the washing machines of today! Join us to discover the many steps English settlers had to take just to get their clothes clean. Find out who did the laundry in the Jamestown colony and what clothing displayed about a person's status.

Have you ever had a tummy ache or the sniffles? Who's the first person you go to when you do? Dr. Mom was the go-to person for help in the 18th century too! Join us to learn about 18th-century remedies for colonial ailments and find out what resources a farmer had on hand to cure you of headaches, indigestion or other unpleasantness.

18th-century baskets came in all shapes and sizes and were used for a variety of everyday chores on a colonial farm during the time of the American Revolution. Ever wonder how these beautiful baskets were made? Join our basket maker on the farm to learn the first steps in acquiring and preparing materials and getting started with weaving a basket.

What determines the shape and size of an 18th-century basket? How does it take shape and expand? How will the basket maker finish the basket? Join us as we continue to learn about the techniques and skills required to weave an 18th-century basket.

Tune in for a personal tour of Susan Constant, a re-creation of one of the three ships that brought the English colonists to Jamestown in 1607. Explore where the sailors and colonists lived, learn what they brought with them for the long voyage or to build the colony, and dive below to see spaces that are not normally open to the public.

What has a foot, earrings, and leeches? Don't have a clew? We'll teach you the sailor's vernacular as you learn to set sail aboard one of Jamestown Settlement's re-created ships.

What does it mean to navigate? What navigational tools were used to guide the ships to Jamestown in 1607? What is dead reckoning? Get the answers to these and more questions as we explore how the English navigated ships across vast oceans in the early 17th century.

Did you know that African Americans played important roles in the American Revolution? During the war, free and enslaved African Americans had difficult choices to make, and served in both the British and Continental armies. Join special exhibitions curator Kate Gruber at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown to learn about African Americans in the American Revolution.

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Each year on October 19, Yorktown Day commemorates the surrender of General Cornwallis' British and German troops at Yorktown to General Washington's Allied American and French troops in 1781 and recognize the sacrifices of those who fought to win American independence. What did people in the 17th century do when they got sick?

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Video - John Rolfe and Tobacco save Jamestown

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Video - John Rolfe and Tobacco save Jamestown

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Video - Plymouth - The Starving Times and the First Thanksgiving

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Video - Plymouth - The Starving Times and the First Thanksgiving

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Stories of Jamestown

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Colonial America for Kids: Jamestown Settlement

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Kids learn about the Jamestown Settlement of colonial America including the first settlers, John Smith, the Powhatan tribe, the Staving Time, interesting facts, and Pocahontas.

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Encounter by Jane Yolan