The Early Farmers

About 7,000 years ago in Central America

, the Native Americans developed agriculture. Agriculture was an important advancement for the first peoples living in the Americas.

Early peoples could spend less time searching and gathering food.

Some of the earliest farmers lived in the Tehuacan Valley

in Central Mexico. These early farmers harvested at least 12 different kinds of corn,

avocados,

squash , pumpkins,

and beans.

The Native Americans called corn maize

. It was their most important food.

Because corn

was so valuable a crop, the Natives thought of it as a gift from their gods. The Native American religion centered around a number of gods. Each God explained a quality in nature. They believed the sun god and rain god helped the harvest.

Once the Native Americans began to farm, they were no longer nomads. They could settle in one place and build stronger houses. Groups formed village communities. More food helped people to live longer, and the Native
American population grew. Native American Tribes began to develop. A tribe is a group of people or community who share a common culture and land.

Farming brought a food surplus. Extra food that was grown could be saved for a later time. As food was more plentiful, members of the tribe could do other things with their time. Members of the tribe began to specialize in
one job they could do well, like making clay pots, weaving baskets, or trading.