Native Americans

[lblankenship]

how many Native Americans was in North America at the time of European arrival?

[buildersmate]

Estimated at between 7 and 10 million.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-2536600359.htm l

[Schutzengel]

If this question is homework or essay work, you had better make sure you write 'were' and not 'was', or you'll not get very good marks. Best wishes.

[Clanad]

I live and work in the western U.S. and work in many aspects with several Tribal Governments in the area. Scholars all agree that estimates of Natve populations of all the Americas prior to Columbu's arrival had peaked due to disease. drought and other factors about 1200 AD. A major University near here has a large and active anthropolgy department and has done several studies on this question. They estimate that between 2 million to no more than 5 million natives lived north of the Rio Grande River (Texas/Mexico border).

A pretty accurate historical account maintained by the Winter Count Keeper for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe (it's reservation is in southern Montana) indicates a major Sun Dance occurred in what we would call the monthe of May on the Tongue River. This Sun Dance was was most likely in 1790. Although this was a late date compared to the 1492 Columbus arrival, the Count estimates about 25,000 attendees from 5 seperate tribes. This is significant because those numbers are from what now constitutes at least 5 large western States.

Further, the Hopewell Culture consisted of a system of interaction among a number of different cultures in the Eastern Woodlands of North America. This system of interaction peaked 200 BC to 400 AD (Source: American Anthropology) They built numerous mounds of earth, some quite large and undoubtedly required cooperation from thousands of inhabitants. They were also well known as farmers as well as hunter-gatherers. However, even with centuries of good weather and the entire 1/3 of the North American continent for subsistance, their numbers never moved beyond approximately 1.5 million.
So.. long winded way of saying "Take your pick"...