1. They built incredible cities and structures
Long before European contact, Indigenous peoples were building thriving cities. Cahokia, near modern-day St. Louis, was a massive city with a population rivaling medieval London around 1100 CE. The city’s enormous earthen mounds are still standing, a testament to its people’s engineering skills.
2. They were incredible artists long before written history
The First Americans created stunning art, like the intricate petroglyphs and pictographs found on cave walls and cliffs across the Americas. These carvings and paintings, some over 1,000 years old, often depicted animals, people, and celestial symbols. They’re not just beautiful—they offer clues to their lives and beliefs.
3. They were here way earlier than scientists once thought
For years, archaeologists believed humans arrived in North America about 13,000 years ago. But newer discoveries, like the 22,000-year-old footprints in New Mexico, suggest they might have been here thousands of years earlier. Every new find rewrites what we thought we knew about their arrival.
4. They thrived in all kinds of environments
From the icy tundras of Alaska to the deserts of the Southwest and the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, the First Americans adapted to vastly different climates and ecosystems. They developed unique ways to hunt, gather, and grow food, showing a profound understanding of the land.
5. They domesticated one of humanity’s first crops
Corn, or maize, didn’t just pop out of nowhere—it was carefully cultivated from a wild grass called teosinte about 9,000 years ago in what’s now Mexico. This agricultural innovation fed entire civilizations and changed the course of history, proving the First Americans were groundbreaking scientists in their own right.
6. They created vast trade networks
The First Americans weren’t isolated; they traded goods, ideas, and technology across the continents. Shells from the Gulf of Mexico, copper from the Great Lakes, and obsidian from the Rockies have all been found far from their origins. These trade routes reveal a sophisticated system of exchange that connected distant communities.
7. They knew how to care for the land
Modern concepts of sustainability owe a lot to Indigenous practices. The First Americans managed forests, rivers, and plains with controlled burns, selective planting, and rotational farming. They saw themselves as part of the ecosystem, not separate from it—a lesson the world could use today.
8. They were extraordinary storytellers
Without written language, oral traditions kept history, laws, and culture alive for generations. Stories weren’t just entertainment; they were blueprints for living, teaching survival skills, moral lessons, and a sense of identity. Each tale carried the wisdom of the ages.
9. They were astronomers long before telescopes
From the Great Serpent Mound in Ohio to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, many First American cultures built structures aligned with celestial events. These observatories marked solstices, equinoxes, and even lunar cycles, proving they had an advanced understanding of the skies.
10. Their legacy is still shaping the world
Today’s Indigenous communities are carrying forward traditions, languages, and knowledge that have endured for millennia. From their contributions to art and cuisine to their leadership in environmental activism, the influence of the First Americans is as relevant as ever.
