Peoples occupied North America before the arrival of the 【M1】______
European in the 15th century have long been known as Indians because 【M2】______
of the belief prevalent at time of Columbus that the Americas were the 【M3】______
outer reaches of the Indies. Most scholars agree that Native Americans
came into the Western Hemisphere from Asia by the Bering Strait in a 【M4】______
series of migrations. From Alaska they spread to the east and south. 【M5】______
Several separate waves of migration are said to count for the many native 【M6】______
linguistic families, while the common origin used to explain the physical 【M7】______
characteristics that Native Americans have in common--Mongoloid
features, coarse, straight, black hair, dark eyes, sparse body hair, and
a skin colour range from yellow-brown to reddish brown. Many scholars 【M8】______
accept evidence of Native American existence in the Americas back more
than 25,000 years. In pre-Columbian times the Native American
population of the area north of Mexico is estimated to be between one and 【M9】______
two million. From prehistoric times until recent historic times there were
roughly about six major cultural areas, excluding that of the Arctic i. e. ,【M10】______
Northwest Coast, Plains, Plateau, Eastern Woodlands, and Southwest.
Information about particular groups can be found in separate articles and in
separate biographies and subject articles.
【M1】