Unit 1: Native Americans and Early Encounters

Lesson 1: The First South Carolinians

THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINIANS

● What did the Europeans call the land they found?

● When did the first Europeans arrive?

● Who were the first Europeans to arrive?

EARLY PEOPLES
● Archaeologists support the _________________ that ________________ years ago, Native

people crossed the ______________________

________________, a land bridge that once connected

Asia and Canada.

● There were four main periods of development:

○ ____________________

○ ____________________

○ ____________________

○ ____________________
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● We learn about their lives through clues like _________________, _____________________,

and ______________. These serve as records of their existence.

HOW DO WE KNOW?
● Archaeologists examine artifacts that people used in daily life, such as

__________ _________, __________________,

________________, _________________, and

_______________.

● What is the atlatl?

● Native Americans also handed down their histories and beliefs by _____________ ________

____________________.

● Early peoples also recorded stories and events through ______________________ in

_____________ _______ and on _________________

___________.

● Another name for rock art is ___________________________. You can

find some of these at the Hagood Creek site in Easley!

● Finally, __________________ _____________________ starting in the 1500s

describe Native Peoples’ customs, dress, and practices. Even though these records can give us

clues about Native life, they however can contain _________________ and give incorrect

information.

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MISSISSIPPIANS
● Mississippian culture began in present-day ________________.

● The people living in SC began to adopt Mississippian cultural traits by ______________ CE.

● Mississippians had complex societies that included large towns and villages along ______________ and

at the fall line where rivers drop from higher ground to lower

ground.

● Most villages had houses surrounding a _____________

____________ or plaza.

● They used a method called ____________ and

____________ to build their homes. This meant their houses were built from a frame that was

topped with a thatched roof made from small _____________ and __________ or

_______________.

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 ● The Mississippians were known most for their:

○ ___________________________

○ ___________________________

○ ___________________________

Organized Chiefdoms
● Societies were organized into chiefdoms where each village had a _______________; each group of

five-seven villages or “______________” had a chief; each group of several polities had a

___________________ __________________.

● The chiefdom of ______________________ is a well-known example of Mississippian culture in

South Carolina

● When European explorers first made contact, Cofitachequi’s chief was a ______________ whom the

Spanish later called the “________________” or the “____________” of Cofitachequi.

● Take some notes on the Lady of Cofitachequi video.

● Chiefs, shamans, traders, artists, and craftsmen held special status in communities.

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Mounds of Many Uses
● One specific characteristic of Woodland and Mississippian cultures

were large _________________

_________________________ they built.

● Most mounds in the Woodland Period were

_________________ structures, while most in the Mississippian Period were

_______________________ structures.

● There may have been up to 150 mounds in South Carolina when the Europeans arrived. Only ______

Woodland and ______________ Mississippian mounds still exist.

Skilled Farmers
● Settlements overlooked the river _______________. Mississippians were known for having skilled

farmers who would grow their crops in these floodplains.

● _______________ (a type of ________________) was a staple of their diet.

● The people also grew beans, peas, squash, sunflowers, and tobacco.

● They also fished, hunted, and gathered wild plants, nuts, acorns, and fruits.

● Since Mississippians were producing more food, they learned better ways to store and preserve it. More

food meant ___________ _______________ ______________, so the population

_________.

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ARE YOU READY?
Are you ready for your quick check? Make sure you study your notes and be able to respond to the

following prompts:

● Explain how Native Americans lived in the land we call South Carolina for thousands of years before the

first European explorers arrived. How did the early peoples live and how do we know?

● Describe Native American cultures in the region at the time of European contact. What were some of

the things we discussed that are unique to the Native peoples living in our area?