USCIS 128:74. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

 

OpenAI. (2026). Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

Before Europeans arrived, American Indians, also called Native Americans, lived in America. They were the first people on this land and had many different cultures, languages, and ways of life.

In New England, the Wampanoag people, or “People of the First Light,” lived in areas that are now Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They were part of an Algonquian-speaking culture. They lived in organized villages and followed a seasonal way of life. They fished, hunted, and farmed crops like corn, beans, and squash, often called the “three sisters.” When the Pilgrims arrived, they met the Wampanoag, who helped them survive.

In the Northeast, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also called the Iroquois Confederacy, was a strong and organized group of five nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. They lived in what is now New York. They created a system of government based on the Great Law of Peace, which focused on unity, peace, and shared decision-making. They also had contact with French explorers.

In the Southwest, the Pueblo peoples were settled farming communities. They grew crops using dry farming and irrigation. They built strong homes made of stone and adobe, sometimes in cliffs or large village buildings. They also made pottery and textiles and held important spiritual ceremonies in places called kivas. Spanish explorers later met the Pueblo peoples in New Mexico.

These examples show that Native Americans lived in organized, complex societies long before Europeans arrived. They had rich cultures and played an important role in early American history.