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THE FIRST
PEOPLE IN OREGON
More than twelve
thousand years ago (12,000+ Before Present / B.P.), the land that
today is known as Oregon was covered with forests, mountains, and
high desert. Scientists have named this time in history the Paleo-Indian
Period. Paleo (PAY-lee-oe) means "ancient" or "long-ago." People
who lived in ancient Oregon were Indians. They were the first Oregonians.
It is some present-day Indians' belief that the Creator created
their people on the North American continent and that they have
always lived here.
We know little
about these Indians because they did not leave any written record
of their lives. Scientists known as archaeologists have learned
about these Indians by studying the drawings and objects that they
used and left behind. These objects are called artifacts. Archaeologists
use artifacts like puzzle pieces, each one tells part of the story
of a past culture. Used in conjunction with other evidence found
in a site, such as bones from animals and other food remains, pollen,
and remains of structures, archaeologists can, in theory, reconstruct
the site and how the people lived at that time. It is very important
that people visiting archaeological sites do not pick up, move,
or remove artifacts, as it makes if difficult for an archaeologist
to accurately interpret a site when some of the pieces to the puzzle
are missing.
Some of the
most interesting clues about the early people of Oregon are found
in rock art. Petroglyphs (petro = rock / stone;
glyph = sign / symbol), or rock carvings, are some of the earliest
known forms of written communication of people in the western hemisphere.
No one is sure exactly what the figures meant to these early people.
Many of them seem to show things in their daily lives, some show
people and animals, others might show the power of nature, such
as the rain or the sun. Still others are abstract and more difficult
to interpret. Their meanings are unknown.
Some other artifacts
archaeologists have found are stone projectile points, which were
used for spears. From these artifacts, archaeologists have learned
that the ancient Indians were hunters. They used spears to hunt
large animals that are now extinct, such as ancient bison, wooly
mammoth, and giant sloths. The Indians threw spears at these animals
using a spear-thrower, called an atlatl, that helped them throw
the spears harder and farther.
The Indians
at this time probably lived on a seasonal cycle, knowing when and
where to hunt and gather food. They would have returned to the same
camp locations annually. Historically, some of the Indians of the
Columbia Plateau including the Cayuse, made their life in a similar
manner.
Read
the entire passage above before answering the questions below!
- How many
years Before Present (B.P.) was the Paleo-Indian Period?
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- Why would
Oregon have been a good location for prehistoric people / Paleo-Indians
to live?
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- What are
artifacts?
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- What is the
name of the scientists who study past cultures?
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- How do these
scientists learn about a culture?
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- Why should
you NOT remove artifacts from archaeological sites?
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- What is another
name for prehistoric rock carvings that people used for communication?
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- What kind
of artifacts from the Paleo-Indian Period tell us that the Indians
of this time were hunters?
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- What kind
of animals did the Indian from the Paleo-Indian Period hunt?
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- What did
they use to make their spears go further and hit harder?
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- What are
some cultural similarities between the Indians of the Paleo-Indian
Period and the Cayuse of
historic times?
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Last modified on:
February 1, 2004
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