American Indian tribes have lived and thrived upon the North American landscape for thousands of years—long before there was a United States. Historically, about 500 distinct Native languages were spoken in North America.
The names Native Americans and American Indians are used interchangeably on this website to describe America’s first inhabitants. In many cases “Indians” is a proper name or title such as in “American Indian Movement” or “Bureau of Indian Affairs”. The name Indian was used traditionally in American culture and history. The term “Native American” became popular much later but both are commonly used today and neither should be considered preferable over the other, although people do have personal preferences.
Although the freedom of their ancient way of life has been lost, the religion, culture, legends, and spirit of the American Indian will always endure. Learn more about the Apache, Blackfoot, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Lakota, and Pueblo Indian tribes. Read about American Indian legends, heroes, leaders (like Geronimo), and great battles (like Custer’s Last Stand). And understand the religions of the Blackfoot Indians and the Cheyenne, who Kachinas are, and the background of The People (Navajo history). Enjoy the wisdom and peace that American Indian culture has with nature.
First People: When the Europeans first came to North America in the 16th- and 17th-century, there were approximately ten million Indians populating this country. It is believed that the first American Indians arrived during the last ice-age, approximately 20,000 – 30,000 years ago and that they came through a land-bridge across the Bering Sound, from northeastern Siberia into Alaska . The oldest documented Indian tribes or cultures in North America are Sandia (15000 BC), Clovis (12000 BC) and Folsom (8000 BC) The name “Indian” was first applied by Christopher Columbus who believed mistakenly that the mainland and islands of America were part of the Indies, in Asia.
TheWildWest.org brings to you but a small part of American Indian history with the facts surrounding American Indian people, the places which they inhabited and inklings of their different cultures, legends, arts and crafts, supreme wisdom and love of nature.