Which factor best explains why Native Americans were able to make permanent settlements?
A. Native Americans began to cultivate plants for food
B. Native Americans began to create more complex tools and pottery
C. Native Americans discovered alternate food sources, such as shellfish
D.
Native Americans wanted to to band together in large groups for protection
A. Native Americans began to cultivate plants for food
A. Native Americans began to cultivate plants for food
The factor that best explains why Native Americans were able to make permanent settlements is A. Native Americans began to cultivate plants for food.
To arrive at this answer, we can consider the following:
1. Native Americans began to cultivate plants for food: This refers to the practice of agriculture, where Native Americans started growing crops such as maize (corn), beans, and squash. This shift from relying solely on hunting and gathering allowed them to settle in one place instead of being nomadic. Cultivating plants provided a stable food source and enabled them to establish permanent settlements, as they no longer needed to constantly move in search of food.
2. Native Americans began to create more complex tools and pottery: While advancements in tool-making and pottery were important for Native Americans, they did not directly contribute to the establishment of permanent settlements. These advancements may have enhanced their ability to utilize resources and improve their daily lives, but the main factor for permanent settlements was the transition to agriculture.
3. Native Americans discovered alternate food sources, such as shellfish: While the discovery of alternate food sources like shellfish contributed to Native American diets, it did not play a significant role in their ability to make permanent settlements. Shellfish and other natural food sources were still subject to seasonal availability and required movement to access, thus not facilitating permanent settlement.
4. Native Americans wanted to band together in large groups for protection: While protection and safety may have been a motivator for Native Americans to form larger communities, it does not explain why they were able to make permanent settlements. The shift towards agriculture and cultivating plants for food was a more fundamental factor that allowed them to settle in one place permanently.
Therefore, the factor that best explains why Native Americans were able to make permanent settlements is A. Native Americans began to cultivate plants for food.