Classification of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas facts for kids

The Americas, Western Hemisphere

Cultural regions of North American people at the time of contact

Early Indigenous languages in the US

The classification of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas helps us understand the many different groups of people who lived in North and South America before Europeans and Africans arrived. Scientists called anthropologists started sorting these groups based on where they lived and the languages they spoke. This work began around the 15th century. Some groups now live in different areas because they were forced to move from their original homes long ago.

Indigenous Peoples of North America

In the United States and Canada, experts usually divide Indigenous peoples into ten main cultural regions. These regions share similar ways of life and traditions.

Arctic Peoples

Inuktitut dialect map

Early Indigenous languages in Alaska

The Arctic region is a very cold place, including parts of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. People here adapted to life in the snow and ice.

Subarctic Peoples

The Subarctic region covers a huge area of forests and tundra in Alaska and Canada. People here often hunted and fished for survival.

Pacific Northwest Coast Peoples

This region stretches along the coast from Alaska to Oregon. It's known for its rich resources, like salmon, and unique art, such as totem poles.

Northwest Plateau Peoples

The Plateau region is inland, between the Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. People here often relied on salmon fishing and gathering plants.

Great Plains Peoples

The Great Plains stretch across the middle of North America. Many tribes here were known for hunting bison and living a nomadic lifestyle.

Eastern Woodlands Peoples

This large region covers the eastern part of North America, from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast. People here often lived in settled villages and farmed.

Northeastern Woodlands

This area includes parts of Canada and the northeastern United States.

Southeastern Woodlands

This region covers the southeastern United States. Many tribes here were skilled farmers.

Great Basin Peoples

This dry region includes parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Idaho. People here often gathered food and hunted small animals.

California Peoples

California was home to many diverse groups, often living in smaller communities and relying on local resources.

Southwest Peoples

This region, also called "Oasisamerica," includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. It's known for its desert landscapes and ancient Pueblo cultures.

Indigenous Peoples of Mexico and Central America

These regions include parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Aridoamerica Peoples

Aridoamerica region of North America

This dry region covers parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.

Mesoamerica Peoples

Map of Mesoamerica

This region includes central and southern Mexico and parts of Central America. It was home to advanced ancient civilizations.

Indigenous Peoples of the Circum-Caribbean

This area includes the Caribbean islands and parts of Central and South America near the Caribbean Sea.

Caribbean Islands Peoples

Central America Mainland Peoples

This area covers most of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Colombia and Venezuela Peoples

This region covers most of Colombia and Venezuela.

Indigenous Peoples of the Guianas

The Guianas in northern South America

This region includes parts of Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, and northern Brazil.

Indigenous Peoples of Eastern Brazil

This region covers various states in eastern Brazil.

Indigenous Peoples of the Andes

The Tawantinsuyu, or fullest extent of the Inca Empire, which includes much of the Andean cultural region

The Andes Mountains stretch along the western side of South America. This region was home to the powerful Inca Empire.

Pacific Lowlands Peoples

This region includes the coastal areas along the Pacific Ocean in South America.

Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon

The Amazon rainforest is a huge area in South America, home to many diverse Indigenous groups.

Northwestern Amazon Peoples

This part of the Amazon includes areas in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Eastern Amazon Peoples

This part of the Amazon is mainly in Brazil.

Southern Amazon Peoples

This region includes southern Brazil and eastern Bolivia.

Southwestern Amazon Peoples

This area covers eastern Peru, parts of Brazil, and Bolivia.

Indigenous Peoples of Gran Chaco

Approximate region of the Gran Chaco

The Gran Chaco is a hot, dry plain in South America, covering parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil.

Indigenous Peoples of the Southern Cone

Patagonian languages at the time of European/African contact

This region includes Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Fjords and Channels of Patagonia

This very southern part of Chile has many islands and channels.

• Alacaluf (Kaweshkar): From Chile.
• Yaghan (Yamana): From Tierra del Fuego, known as the southernmost people in the world.

Indigenous Languages of the Americas

The Indigenous languages of the Americas are made up of many different language families. Some are "language isolates," meaning they are not related to any other known language. Sadly, many of these languages are now endangered or have become extinct. This means they are no longer spoken.

Genetic History of Indigenous Peoples

Scientists believe that the Indigenous peoples of the Americas have a unique genetic history. This history was shaped by the first people who came to the Americas a very long time ago. It was also affected by the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century. A specific type of DNA, called Haplogroup Q1a3a (Y-DNA), is often found in Indigenous American populations.

Interesting Facts About Indigenous Peoples

• The United States has over 1,000 different Native American tribes.
• There are about 476 million Indigenous people around the world, living in more than 90 countries. Most of them live in Asia.
• Experts estimate that one Indigenous language dies every two weeks. This is a big loss of culture and knowledge.
• Many Indigenous peoples do not fully control their traditional lands.
• Eight Indigenous North American tribes have at least 100,000 members.
• Many Indigenous people speak more than one language, often their native language and another common language.

See also

In Spanish: Clasificación de los pueblos indígenas de América para niños

• Classification of indigenous languages of the Americas
• Indigenous languages of the Americas
• List of pre-Columbian cultures
• List of traditional territories of the indigenous peoples of North America
• Population history of Indigenous peoples of the Americas

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