Ancient Beringian facts for kids
The Ancient Beringians were the very first people known to live in North America. They traveled from a land bridge called Beringia into Alaska. This happened a long, long time ago, even before 11,500 years ago! They were a unique group, separating from other early Americans, called Paleo-Indians, about 20,000 years ago.
Scientists learned about them in January 2018. They found the genetic information (called a genome) from two baby skeletons. These babies lived about 11,500 years ago. This discovery helped us understand who the Ancient Beringians were.
These early people stayed in the cold Arctic region. They either died out or joined with another group called the Dene. This happened about five to six thousand years ago.
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Who Were the Ancient Beringians?
The Ancient Beringians were a group of people who lived many thousands of years ago. They are important because they were the first known humans to settle in North America. Their story helps us understand how people first spread across the world.
Their Journey to Alaska
The Ancient Beringians came from a place called Beringia. This was a large land bridge that connected Asia and North America. It existed during the last Ice Age when sea levels were much lower. They walked across this land bridge into what is now Alaska. This journey happened over 11,500 years ago.
They were a distinct group of people. Scientists believe they separated from other early American groups. These other groups are known as Paleo-Indians. This separation happened around 20,000 years ago.
Life as Hunter-Gatherers
The Ancient Beringians lived as hunter-gatherers. This means they did not farm their food. Instead, they found their food from nature. They hunted wild animals and collected wild plants.
They ate different kinds of animals found in their environment. Some of the animals they hunted included salmon, ptarmigan (a type of bird), and ground squirrels. They used their skills to survive in the cold Arctic environment.
Images for kids
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Figure 2. This map shows how genes moved in and out of the Beringia region over time.
