7th millennium BC in North American history

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8th millennium BC - 7th millennium BC - 6th millennium BC

The 7th millennium BC in North American history provides a time line of events occurring within the present political boundaries of United States (including territories) from 7000 BC through 6001 BC in the Gregorian calendar. Although this time line segment may include some European or other world events that profoundly influenced later American life, it focuses on developments within Native American (and Polynesian) communities. Because the indigenous peoples of these regions lacked a written language, we must glean events from the admittedly very incomplete archaeological record and place them in time through radiocarbon dating techniques.

Because of the inaccuracies inherent in radiocarbon dating and in interpreting other elements of the archaeological record, most dates in this time line represent approximations that may vary a century or more from source to source. The assumptions implicit in archaeological dating methods also may yield a general bias in the dating in this time line.

  • 7000 BC: Northeastern peoples depend increasingly on deer, nuts, and wild grains as the climate warms.
  • 7000 BC: Native Americans in Lahontan Basin, Nevada mummify their dead to give them honor and respect, evidencing deep concern about their treatment and condition.
  • Kennewick Man dies along the shore of the Columbia River in Washington State, leaving one of the most complete early Native American skeletons.
  • 6001 BC: Ancestors of Penutian-speaking peoples settle in the Northwestern Plateau.
  • 6001 BC: Nomadic hunting bands roam Subarctic Alaska following herds of caribou and other game animals.