Before the arrival of Europeans, America was home to a diverse range of Indigenous peoples and societies. The first inhabitants likely migrated from Asia via a land bridge named Beringia about 15,000 to 20,000 years ago. By the time of Columbus's arrival, the population was about seventy-five million, spread across over six hundred tribes and groups.
Before the arrival of the Europeans, a diverse array of indigenous peoples called America home. Great civilizations had already emerged, such as the complex Pueblo societies in North America (the Mogollon, Hohokam, and Anasazi) and the Eastern Woodland peoples. Other cultures, such as the Inuit and the Dene, were mostly hunter-gatherers, while groups like the Puebloans and the Creek were agricultural societies growing crops like maize.
The first inhabitants of America likely migrated from Asia via a land bridge named Beringia about 15,000 to 20,000 years ago. This theory is supported by shared genetic markers found in Asians and Native Americans. Following the melting of glaciers, Beringia disappeared, forming the Bering Strait, and subsequent settlers are believed to have arrived by boat across this narrow strait. These early inhabitants established unique cultures across the Americas, displaying remarkable diversity in their societal structures, agricultural techniques, and cultural practices.
By the time Columbus arrived, the indigenous population of the Western Hemisphere was approximately seventy-five million. Over six hundred diverse tribes and groups existed in North America alone. However, the arrival of Europeans led to significant changes, with the native populations often displaced from their lands and undermined by superior European weaponry.
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