Is it true humans entered America via Alaska?

Question

How did stone agers travel in so cold regions?

Answer 1

This theory is really very false. While there is some migration of the northern peoples of Canada and Alaska--all they would have to do is sail on the sea between---the Native American people did not come to America through a land bridge. The real way they came is by ship that sailed over the oceans to get here.

Those theories are all made by European scientist who think they were the only ones on earth with any intelligence. They fail to understand that the technology to build ships was well established by the time the Natives arrived in America. There is absolutely no connection to the 'Stone Age' cultures that may come up in archaeology.

As for the northern people, (you've obviously never been up there) they can travel over icy oceans very easily in small water craft and even sleds. They don't need a land bridge to migrate, and they don't need to be European to understand how to travel over the ice.

Answer 2

People then had clothes, fire ect...all they would need to travel in such cold. Besides I think they gradually got use to it (it getting a little colder each year or perhaps moving further north) they weren't just plopped down in super cold weather. As for Alaska, it is believed about 13,000 years ago when the ice age trapped a lot of the water in glaciers it caused a land bridge from Siberia to Alaska which people crossed over following herds, not realizing they were going to a new contient. I believe (don't quote me) that
History Channel said as few as (or as many as - depending on your view) 200 people would have been needed to populate the Americas. Now more and more scientists are coming to believe that there were several migrations into the Americas some "landings" occuring in South America.

Answer 3

I personally go for the theory, and I know every year more and more evidence is dug up to support it. But like so many thing I'd like to point out it's a theory not a fact.

But unlike what was previously posted it hasn't been proven false, nore have ship travelers been proven to be the first people to arrive. It pretty much seems to hinge on how old culture really is in the America's. (This is a hottly debated issue) Once they can determine that, they might be able to finally determine who came when.

As for cold, people have lived in Alaska for thousands of years just fine, why would you think people couldn't travel through there? In fact I'm willing to beat a Stone age traveler would do far better them me in that region on foot.

Answer 4

In theory, it could happen. As others have mention, it indeed has happened. The Japanese invaded a couple of remote islands in the Aleutian chain as a diversionary tactic in preparation for the battle of Midway (the diversion failed as the US broke Japanese codes and knew the plan as to attack Midway, not invade mainland USA). I'm working from memory here, but I believe the Japanese were able to hold their position for 13 months. It really wasn't a die hard counter offensive by the US. They formed a recon unit from locals who could live off the land and travel light (known as Castner's Cutthroats). Much of that time was the US kind of "daring" Japan to try and advance their position. When the weather broke, the US would bomb the Japanese, gradually eating up their supplies and resources, which were strained due to the remoteness and the fact Japan was losing the war in general. The US did finally counter attack and took Attu, but not before a fierce final counter attack by the Japanese. They broke through the US front lines in an attempt to take the US artillery pieces to turn against the Americans. The final charge was stopped cold by a bunch of US REMFs who pretty much realized it was kill or be killed (one of the areas of the final battle was subsequently named Engineer Hill, which later became an area of controversy due to Japan erecting a war memorial on that spot). I was looking for a quote. I can't remember the exact verbage or who said it, but it was one of the military brass when asked what were the chances the Japanese would reach mainland US (I am guessing it was Gen. Bucker) but the quote was something like "By the time the Japanese reach Anchorage, they'll be speaking English. By the time they reach mainland USA, their grandchildren will be citizens." The scenario you describe is possible, but highly unrealistic. Terrain causes a huge problem. Logistics to supply front line troops would take a tremendous amount of resources and leave a major weak spot for a US counter-attack to cut supply lines. Alaska has active National Guard the last I heard as well as several significant military bases in the state. There are some rather large air force bases in the Pacific Northwest that could drop a lot of ordinance anywhere in the state of Alaska with a 12 hour flight. To top all that off, there are a ton of citizens with rifles that will probably be taking occasional pot shots. Some of those citizens are pretty capable of living off the land and launching a heck of a guerrilla warfare campaign. Even if a foreign invader survives Alaska, I would think that it would be in Canada's best interest to prevent any foreign army from using Canadian soil or waters to reach mainland USA. If mainland USA falls, then Canada is going to have to start securing an awfully long boarder. If this subject interests you, I'd recommend reading the book "Thousand-Mile War" by Brian Garfield. The book does an excellent job documenting the Japanese invasion of Alaska.

Answer 5

it is thought that the world was once 1 giant land mass called pangia. people would have migrated as the land moved into what today is N America. A land bridge is possible. about the cold conditions, we survived the ice age so winter would be easy.

Answer 6

I wasn't there. I have no idea.