09/25/2025
**Native Americans – The First People of America**
Native Americans are the original people of North and South America, long before any outsiders arrived. In what is now the United States, they belong to many unique tribes and cultures — some still live today as proud, independent nations.
Most experts believe Native Americans came from Asia over 13,000 years ago, crossing a land bridge during the Ice Age. Some even say they arrived 40,000 years ago! Over time, these early people spread across the land, creating hundreds of different cultures.
The word “Indian” came from Christopher Columbus, who thought he had reached India. But even before him, Norse explorers had reached North America around 500 years earlier. Many Native tribes believe they’ve always lived here, as told through their creation stories.
When Europeans arrived in the 1400s, over **50 million people** already lived in the Americas — including about **10 million** in the area that is now the U.S. What followed were years of change, struggle, and survival.
Today, Native Americans make up about **1.5% of the U.S. population**, proudly keeping their traditions, music, stories, and ceremonies alive.
