Who were the first peoples to live in the Americas, and how did they get here?
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Who were the first peoples to live in the Americas, and how did they get here?
Picture two giant continents, North and South America, completely empty of people. No footprints, no campfires, no faces. Then, a very long time ago — at least 15,000 years back, maybe more — the first humans arrived. So who were they, and how on Earth did they get to a place separated from everything by enormous oceans? Let's follow their footprints.
First, the cast. The first Americans weren't a single tribe — they were small bands of people related to ancient groups from Asia, especially Siberia. They were skilled hunters and travelers who knew how to survive in brutal cold. They wore warm hides, made sharp stone tools, and moved wherever the food moved. Think of them as the planet's most experienced campers.
