which factor best explains why native Americans were able to make permanent settlements

native Americans began to cultivate plants for food.

native Americans began to create more complex tools and pottery

native Americans discovered alternate food sources such as shellfish

native Americans wanted to band together in large groups for protection

The factor that best explains why Native Americans were able to make permanent settlements is the cultivation of plants for food. By learning to grow their own food, Native Americans became more self-sufficient and were able to establish settled communities. This shift from a nomadic lifestyle allowed them to establish permanent settlements and develop more complex societies.

The factor that best explains why Native Americans were able to make permanent settlements is:

- Native Americans began to cultivate plants for food.

By learning how to cultivate and grow their own food, Native Americans could sustain themselves in one place for longer periods of time. This allowed them to establish permanent settlements, as they no longer had to rely solely on hunting and gathering for survival.

The factor that best explains why Native Americans were able to make permanent settlements is their discovery of alternate food sources such as shellfish.

To get this answer, we can eliminate the factors that are not directly related to the ability to establish permanent settlements. The cultivation of plants for food and the creation of more complex tools and pottery do contribute to the development of more settled societies, but they do not directly address the ability to establish permanent settlements. On the other hand, the discovery of alternate food sources such as shellfish allows Native Americans to have a stable and reliable food supply. This reduces the need for constant movement and enables them to establish permanent settlements.

Therefore, the factor of discovering alternate food sources, like shellfish, best explains why Native Americans were able to make permanent settlements.