The First Americans: Origins, Civilizations, and Enduring Legacy

America's story begins long before any written record. The first Americans arrived from Eastern Eurasia, by foot across the Bering land bridge or by boat along the western coast, and over millennia built civilizations across every region of the continent. We cannot tell the American story without them. So we begin at the beginning.

Key Takeaways

• The first Americans likely crossed from Eastern Eurasia via the Bering land bridge or by boat down the Pacific coast

• Clovis points date to about 13,000 years ago; fossilized footprints at White Sands, New Mexico push that timeline back to 20,000 years or earlier

• Native tribes built earthworks, cliff dwellings, and urban centers, Monks Mound, Mesa Verde, and Chaco Canyon all predate European contact

• The Trail of Tears, the forced relocation of five southeastern tribes, is considered the most notorious of the Indian removal relocations

• Native Americans served as code talkers in both World Wars; Eli Parker authored the Confederate surrender terms at Appomattox

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: When did the first people arrive in America?

The oldest confirmed evidence, fossilized human footprints at White Sands, New Mexico, dates to around 20,000 years ago, possibly earlier. The Clovis points, long considered the earliest firm evidence of human presence, date to about 13,000 years ago. The first Americans most likely arrived from Eastern Eurasia, either by foot across the Bering land bridge or by boat along the Pacific coastline.

Q2: What was the Trail of Tears?

The Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of five southeastern Native American tribes, the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole, from their homelands east of the Mississippi River to Indian territory in present-day Oklahoma. Mandated by the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the forced migration resulted in the deaths of thousands. The Cherokee portion alone claimed an estimated 4,000 lives.

Q3: What contributions have Native Americans made to American history?

Native Americans have made significant contributions across many fields. Eli Parker (Seneca) authored the Confederate surrender terms at Appomattox and later served as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Navajo and other code talkers used tribal languages for unbreakable military communications in both World Wars. Jim Thorpe (Sac and Fox) was voted the greatest American athlete of the first half of the 20th century. Maria Montoya Martinez (Tewa Pueblo) became one of the country's most celebrated potters.

A Great Mystery at the Beginning

Like all great origin stories, the arrival of the first Americans is part mystery. There is much we simply don't know regarding the genesis of Native American life. Like all great beginnings, the epic journey here is a cause for wonder. The arrival of the first people on this continent, an occasion for reverence. They were the first to live in America. We search for them in the past along the trail they left behind. In their descendants, we see the bonds that unify people across generations. We cannot tell America's story without them. And so we begin at the beginning, with the first Americans. The first Americans likely came here from Eastern Eurasia by foot across the Bering land bridge from modern-day Russia to Alaska, or by boat moving from island to island and then down the western coastline. From there, they moved out across the continent. The time was prehistoric, thousands of years before any recorded language. Mammoths, mastodons, and saber-tooth tigers roamed the continent. One theory that held sway until recently matched the arrival of America's first inhabitants with the Clovis points: stone weapon heads found with fossilized skeletons of prehistoric prey near modern-day Clovis, New Mexico. Clovis points were found across the continent. They are dated around 13,000 years old. In 2021, a new discovery at White Sands, New Mexico placed the first signs of native life in America even further back. Fossilized human footprints there were formed around 20,000 years ago, perhaps even earlier.

Early Civilizations Across the Continent

The story of the First Americans accelerates with evidence of the earliest domestic and ceremonial structures. Earthworks were developed in the American South and Midwest, some dating back to 3,500 BC, just around the time ancient Mesopotamia emerged on the other side of the world. Monks Mound near Collinsville, Illinois, was built around 1,000 AD. Native tribes cultivated life in every major region of America. The cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde in Colorado date back to the 12th century AD. Structures at Chaco Canyon in northwest New Mexico were built as early as 900 AD. It was common for native tribes to war with each other well before European settlers arrived on the continent. They conquered each other's lands. They even dealt in slavery. Their early clashes with the new Americans in the 1600s in Virginia and New England initiated several centuries of war and massive disruption of native life, including wholesale displacement, what is commonly known as Indian removal. The Trail of Tears, when members of five tribes were marched from as far away as Georgia to Indian territory in Oklahoma, is considered the most notorious of these relocations. Armed conflict between native Indians and U.S. forces came to an end with the infamous Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, roughly the time of the closing of the Western Frontier.

Native Contributions to American Life

Despite such events, some natives made important contributions to the American military and to American political culture. Eli S. Parker, born into the Tonawanda Seneca Nation, served as an aide to General Grant. It was he who authored the final draft of the Confederate surrender terms at Appomattox. Parker would go on to serve as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. During World Wars I and II, Native Americans served as code talkers, using their tribal languages to send secret communications. Ira Hayes, a member of Arizona's Pima tribe, helped raise the American flag over Iwo Jima. America's tribal nations have legal and political structures that mirror U.S. federal and state constitutions, with bills of rights and distribution of powers among three branches of government. Jim Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox and Potawatomi nations, was voted the greatest American athlete of the first half of the 20th century, AP sports writers gave him 252 of the 393 first-place votes, well ahead of baseball legend Babe Ruth and heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey. Maria Montoya Martinez, a Tewa Pueblo native, became one of the country's greatest potters. Her works are found in art galleries across America. President Theodore Roosevelt signed into law the Antiquities Act of 1906. Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon were two of the sites designated for preservation.