University:
Tyler Junior College
Course:
HIST 1301 | History
Academic year:

2024
Views:

237

Pages:

2
Author:

Dave D.

THE AMERICAS IN ANCIENT TIMES HIST 1301 | History Populating the Americas Almost eighteen thousand years ago, when large sheets of ice blanketed much of the Northern Hemisphere, the globe was engulfed in the cold embrace of the last glacial epoch. Sea levels were far lower than they are now, exposing land bridges and changing the global shoreline. One such land bridge, the Beringia, linked what is now Alaska and Russia and was an important route for the early Homo sapiens' migration. Once a vast region of sand dunes and little flora, Beringia is now buried beneath the waters of the Bering Strait, a silent reminder of how the landscape of our world is always changing. The exact chronology of human settlement in Beringia is still unknown, and researchers can only speculate as to how long our ancestors could have lived in this untamed region before setting off to explore the Americas. The migration of Homo sapiens southward when the glacial ice receded is a well-established narrative in the annals of human history, despite the fact that we lack conclusive evidence for extended settlement in Beringia. These courageous explorers forged routes that would eventually take them into what is now the continental United States by navigating via a corridor between ice sheets that were melting. Archaic people migrated throughout the Americas in waves, some heading west to the coast of the Pacific, others exploring the northeast and southeast of the continent. More set out to travel across the centre of the continent, eventually arriving in what would eventually become South America, Central America, and Mexico. Human populations had spread over the Western Hemisphere by an estimated fifteen thousand years ago, leaving their mark on the landscape. Some features of the voyage can be reliably deduced, even if the details of these ancient migrations may never be entirely understood. Given that they allowed for both land travel and coastal passage by raft or canoe, coastal pathways most certainly had a significant role in aiding the mobility of early humans. Due to the old shorelines being submerged by increasing sea levels, clear proof of this coastal migration is still elusive, but intriguing hints of the past may be found in archaeological finds made along the contemporary coasts of Canada and Alaska. Nestled in the rough landscape of coastal Alaska and Canada, these 10,000-year-old sites provide insights into the movements and ways of life of our ancient ancestors. They remind us of the persistence with which our ancestors carved out a life in a world sculpted by ice and water, acting as beacons of human resilience and inventiveness. The need to investigate and protect these underwater archaeological sites grows increasingly urgent as sea levels rise and engulf the remains of historic coastal communities. Untold stories wait to be discovered in the ocean's depths, behind the waves that currently hide the ruins of our common history. Investigating these underwater environments might provide fresh perspectives on the emergence and spread of Homo sapiens throughout the Americas. We are getting closer to solving the puzzles surrounding the thousands of years and continents of human migration with every new finding. We are reminded of the human spirit's tenacity and the enduring legacy of our predecessors when we delve deeper into history.