Question

Comment on any points of difference between the native peoples of South and North America.

Answer 1

The words ‘Natives of America’ refer to the original population of America as existing in the pre-Columbian era. The natives of South America belonged to different cultural groups. Domestication of animals was practiced by the South American natives. Llamas and alpacas were domesticated for the purpose of transportation and food. The natives here were well-versed with agriculture. They produced potatoes, beans and chillies. The abundance or surplus production of cereals encouraged the beginning of settled and permanent agricultural societies in South America. Overtime, these permanent agricultural societies led to the emergence of powerful monarchical systems in South and Central America under the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas.

However, the life of the natives in North America was not the same as the natives in South America. They lived in small bands. Population was distributed among different environmental zones of North America. The North American natives basically followed a nomadic lifestyle and moved from one place to another in search of cereals, vegetables and meat. The nomadic lifestyle of the people of North America prevented them from establishing any kingdoms or empire. There was, thus, no territory that they could declare to be their own. This also prevented them from forming a collective identity. With no bond among the members of tribes of North America, they easily succumbed to the European powers without much resistance.