Native American facts for kids
A picture of a man from the Gros Ventre tribe
|
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 70 million + | |
| Languages | |
| Indigenous languages of the Americas, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch, Danish, French | |
| Religion | |
|
Native Americans are the first people, or indigenous peoples, who lived in the Americas before people from Europe arrived. They are also known as Aboriginal Americans or American Indians.
Sometimes, these people are called Indians. This name can be confusing because it is also used for people from India. When Christopher Columbus explored, he thought he was in the East Indies. So, he called the people he met "Indians." Today, some people feel that calling Native Americans "Indians" is not respectful.
There are many different tribes of Native American people. Each tribe has its own unique language and way of life. Some tribes were hunter-gatherers, meaning they moved around to find food. Others lived in one place and built large cities and kingdoms.
Many Native Americans died after Europeans came to the Americas. New diseases from Europe spread quickly. There were also many battles with Europeans. Many native people were hurt or killed. Others were forced to leave their homes as settlers took their lands.
Today, over three million Native Americans live in Canada and the U.S. combined. About 51 million more Native Americans live in Latin America. Many still speak their native languages and follow their own cultural practices. Others have adopted parts of Western culture. Many Native Americans still face problems like discrimination and racism.
Contents
Where Did Native Americans Come From?
The ancestors of Native Americans came to the Americas from Asia. Scientists believe they arrived about 15,000 years ago. At that time, Alaska was connected to Siberia by a land bridge called Beringia.
This land bridge formed when the sea level was lower during the Ice Age. It was a cold, grassy plain. A few thousand people likely crossed this bridge from eastern Siberia. They moved into the Americas after the ice blocking their path melted. This happened before the land bridge was covered by the sea again, around 11,000 years ago.
Before Europeans arrived, the Yupik peoples lived on both sides of the Bering Strait. Their culture is still present in the region today. The governments of Russia and the United States are working to protect this shared heritage. They want to connect areas like the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve in the U.S. with Beringia National Park in Russia.
Native Americans are divided into many groups. In Canada, they are often called First Nations. In other places, they are called tribes.
Native American Cultures
Each Native American tribe has its own special culture. However, cultures can be grouped by region. For example, tribes living in Mesoamerica (parts of Mexico and Central America) share similar cultures.
Food and Traditions
Native Americans ate many different foods. What they ate depended on where they lived.
Native Americans from Mesoamerica gave the world foods like vanilla, avocados, and chocolate.
Beliefs and Religions
Before Europeans arrived, native peoples had many different religions. Each tribe had its own unique beliefs and spiritual practices.
Today, many Native Americans practice Christianity. This religion was brought to the Americas by Europeans. However, many others still practice their traditional native religions.
Languages Spoken
Native Americans today speak over a thousand different languages. Some of these languages had their own writing systems before Europeans came.
Many of these languages are endangered. This means fewer people are speaking them. More people are learning European languages and not teaching Native American languages to their children.
Music and Art
Native Americans create musical instruments using materials from nature. They also make many different kinds of art. This art often reflects their beliefs and daily lives.
Native Americans Today
In North America
United States
In 2010, about 0.9% of Americans said they were Native American. This is about 2.9 million people. Another 0.8% said they were part Native American and part something else. Native Americans are not spread evenly across the U.S. For example, about a third of the people in Alaska are Native Alaskan. About one-sixth of the people in Oklahoma are Native American.
Most Native Americans in the United States live in cities. About 28% live on special lands called reservations. Many Native Americans face poverty. They also experience higher rates of violence compared to white people.
Mexico
Many people in Mexico have Native American or mixed Native American and European ancestry. Mexico has the largest and most diverse Native American population in Latin America.
Canada
In 2016, over 1.67 million people in Canada identified as Indigenous. This means they make up 4.9% of Canada’s population.
In Central America
Guatemala
About 40% of the people in Guatemala identify as Native American. Many of these groups are descendants of the ancient Maya.
Many Native Americans in Guatemala are poor. Because of this, many have left the country to find better jobs elsewhere.
In South America
Bolivia
Most people in Bolivia belong to indigenous groups. Many are from the Aymara and Quechua peoples.
Peru
Peru also has a large indigenous population. Around 80% of Peru's people identify as indigenous or mixed ancestry.
Native American Activism
In the second half of the 1900s, many Native Americans began to protest. They spoke out against the unfair treatment they received from society.
Some Native Americans have become famous in politics. For example, an Aymara man named Evo Morales was elected president of Bolivia in 2005. He was the first indigenous person to become president in Bolivia and South America.
Related pages
- First Nations
- Plains Indians
- Native Americans in the United States
- Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the first peoples of North and South America and their descendants
- Indigenous peoples in Canada
- First Nations in Canada, Canadian indigenous peoples who are not Inuit or Métis
- Inuit, an indigenous people from northern Canada, Greenland, and parts of Alaska
- Métis in Canada, peoples in Canada with both indigenous (First Nations or Inuit) and European ancestors
- Indigenous peoples of Costa Rica
- Indigenous peoples of Mexico
- Indigenous peoples of South America
