When was North America first inhabited, and by who?

Question

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Answer 1

Between 12,000 and 65,000 years ago inhabitants of Siberia crossed the land bridge into North America ostensibly chasing herds of caribou, deer, mammoths, and other edible species. These legal immigrants eventually became the Inca, Maya, Cheyenne, Apache, Iroquis, etc.

Answer 2

The accepted theory, up to the present, is that they came from Asia, through Alaska and migrated south some 40 to 60, 000 years ago. Eventually they spread throughout the Americas. It's estimated there were about a 100 million people at the time of the European arrival. Of these, approximately 30 millions lived in North America. The largest concentration of people were in Mexico-Guatemala and the Peru-Bolivia area.

Answer 3

There are two credible anthropological/historical theories of which I am aware. The first has been mentioned in various ways: sometime between 15 000 and 60 000 years ago traveling hunters from Asia migrated across a land bridge that connected what is now Alaska and Russia. The people over several hundred years continued south, probably through ice free corridors along the west coast and east side of the Rocky Mountains. There is some good archeological evidence for this. One of the most interesting include the artifacts and evidence of villages that are now submerged along the west coast of modern British Columbia. I tend to believe much of this theory. I have read in more than one source that the total population of first nations people at the time of contact was probably between 10 and 20 million and that some very complex societies existed: Mayans, Aztecs, Iroquois, Haida and many more. At one time it is believed in North and South America there were thousands of distinct languages spoken.

A second theory that seems to have some evidence comes from the idea that humans developed in more than one area of the world and at differenct times. This is in contrast to many who believe that "humans" first climbed out of the trees in east-central Africa and then migrated north, north west and north east from there. The multiple origins theory suggests that South America saw the beginnings of at least one type of humanoid creature which evolved into the modern homo sapien. This is a tough one for me but there have been some good articles written over recent years; TIME and National Geographic come to mind as two sources. From the articles that I have read it is suggested that humans began in Europe, South America, Australia and of course Africa. And in some cases in more than one location on each continent.

You have posed a great question and one that I as a Social Studies teacher often have my students discuss and learn about. The next great question that might help us find out the answer to your question is of course: "What put things in motion that allowed humans to develop at all?" In other words, how did all of this happen? I am sure there are even more theories. Well done, though.

Answer 4

Grog of the Cave Bear Clan was dubbed "first inhabitant of North America" by the elders of the tribe for him being the first to cross the Bering Strait Ice Bridge in 35,563 BC....chasing after wholly mammoths.

Answer 5

Tribes from Russian territory some 12 thousand years ago.

Answer 6

From what I understand, by the Indians - time line - thousands of years ago.

Some say, the Indians were actually Russian ansestors that walked across the straights where Alaska and Russia were the closest.

Answer 7

Oldest known were nomadic tribesmen from russia herding animals across land bridge some 12 to 68 thousand years ago. Probably people prior to that but due to no records it is hard to say.

Answer 8

north amertica was first inhabited by it' s wildlife, and settled by nomads from asia who crossed the bering straight.

Answer 9

That is a very complicated question, with about 10 potential answers.
For more detail, please read the book 1491 by Charles C Mann. It rocks.

Answer 10

The Mayas ?