Difference between revisions of "American Indian"
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'''American Indians''' are the descendants of the inhabitants of [[North America|North]] and [[South America]] before the coming of [[Europe]]ans in 1492. As an ethnic group, they are indigenous to the Americas. | '''American Indians''' are the descendants of the inhabitants of [[North America|North]] and [[South America]] before the coming of [[Europe]]ans in 1492. As an ethnic group, they are indigenous to the Americas. | ||
| − | They are believed to have descended from [[Asia|Asians]] who crossed the [[Bering Straight|Bering land bridge]] during the last [[Ice Age]]. According to evolutionary theory, this took place | + | They are believed to have descended from [[Asia|Asians]] who crossed the [[Bering Straight|Bering land bridge]] during the last [[Ice Age]]. According to evolutionary theory and radiocarbon dating, this took place as early as 20,000 years ago.<ref>TIME - Who Were The First Americans?, By MICHAEL D. LEMONICK, ANDREA DORFMAN, Sunday, Mar. 05, 2006 [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1169905,00.html]</ref> |
Those who are only partly descended from those early inhabitants are still considered American Indians if they maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. However, each Native tribe or band makes its own rulings regarding membership. | Those who are only partly descended from those early inhabitants are still considered American Indians if they maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. However, each Native tribe or band makes its own rulings regarding membership. | ||
Revision as of 13:13, July 19, 2007
American Indians are the descendants of the inhabitants of North and South America before the coming of Europeans in 1492. As an ethnic group, they are indigenous to the Americas.
They are believed to have descended from Asians who crossed the Bering land bridge during the last Ice Age. According to evolutionary theory and radiocarbon dating, this took place as early as 20,000 years ago.[1]
Those who are only partly descended from those early inhabitants are still considered American Indians if they maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. However, each Native tribe or band makes its own rulings regarding membership.
Some American Indians prefer to be called Native Americans in order to distinguish themselves from the people of India, and to imply that they were the original inhabitants of North America. The oldest American skeleton is Kennewick Man, found in 1996 and judged by radiocarbon dating to be over 9000 years old. Kennewick Man was at first said to be unlike present day Native Americans. However further research has demonstrated that this is not the case. [2]