| ca. 400,000 BP | - Homo sapiens evolve in Africa.
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| ca. 25,000–14,000 BP | - Glaciation exposes Beringia land bridge.
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| ca. 15,000 BP | - Humans arrive in North America.
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| ca. 13,500–13,000 BP | - Paleo-Indians use Clovis points.
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| ca. 11,000 BP | |
| ca. 10,000–3000 BP | - Archaic hunter-gatherer cultures dominate ancient America.
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| ca. 5000 BP | - Chumash culture emerges in southern California.
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| ca. 4000 BP | - Eastern Woodland peoples grow gourds, make pottery.
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| ca. 3500 BP | - Southwestern cultures cultivate corn.
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| ca. 2500 BP | - Eastern Woodland cultures build burial mounds, cultivate corn.
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| ca. 2500–2100 BP | - Adena culture develops in Ohio.
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| ca. 2100 BP–AD 400 | - Hopewell culture emerges in Ohio and Mississippi valleys.
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| ca. AD 200–900 | - Mogollon culture develops in New Mexico.
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| ca. AD 500 | - Bows and arrows appear south of Arctic.
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| ca. AD 500–1400 | - Hohokam culture develops in Arizona.
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| ca. AD 800–1500 | - Mississippian culture flourishes in Southeast.
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| ca. AD 1000–1200 | - Anasazi peoples build cliff dwellings and pueblos.
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| ca. AD 1325–1500 | - Mexica establish Mexican empire.
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| AD 1492 | - Christopher Columbus arrives in New World.
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