Interesting Facts

Prehistoric DNA - DNA findings from the Human Genome Diversity Project

show that Native Americans came across Beringia from a homeland in
Mongolia. This happened between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago. The
DNA also shows that some prehistoric people left North America and went
back across the land bridge to Asia.

Prehistoric Shelters - Prehistoric people lived in huts and caves. They

built their huts using the large bones of the giant mammals for frames.
They covered the bone frames with branches and earth. Prehistoric people
had two homes. One home for winter and one home for summer. The
winter home was near where the animals grazed in winter. The summer
home was near where the animals grazed in summer. The prehistoric
hunters were nomads and followed the mammoths to their grazing lands.
When they were actually out on a hunt, they would camp out.

anthropologist - A scientist who studies people and how they develop.

Anthropologists study fossils and living people. They study history,
languages, and the ways people live.

anthropology - Anthropology is the study of people and how they

develop. Anthropologists study fossils and living people. They study
history, languages, and the ways people live. Anthropology is helpful in
understanding the past.

fossils - Fossils are old bones or traces of ancient plants or animals.

Camel - The camel was originally from America. During the ice age, it

migrated across the land bridge to Asia. Then the camel became extinct in
North America. Today's South American llamas are the descendants of
the ancient American camel.

dogs - Prehistoric people kept dogs as pets. Bones from 14,000 years

ago prove the prehistoric people kept dogs as pets, and possibly ate the
dogs for food.

horses - When the Europeans brought the horse to America, in the late

1400s, it was returning home. A tiny horse ancestor had lived in America
during the Ice Age. The horse was the size of a dog. It crossed Beringia
from North America to Asia. Those horses that developed in Asia, grew
larger. Horses that continued to live in America, became extinct.

fire -Prehistoric people made fire from sparks. They would strike stones

together to drop sparks onto dry kindling.

hand crafts - Early Native American otters learned to make sculptured

figures and pots made of clay. Weavers designed and wove colorful rugs.

tomatoes - The First Americans grew tomatoes. Tomatoes were grown

in America long before they were grown in Europe.