Most of what we know about the first inhabitants of North America, the
             ancestors of today's First Nations and Inuit, is due to the work of
             archaeologists. These specialists have generally divided the past into two
             periods: the historic period, for which we have written accounts; and the
             prehistoric period, prior to the existence of written records.
             Archaeological work on the prehistoric period - studying stone tools, bone
             chips, and faunal and other remains - is invaluable because few other types
             of information are available.
             Certain key discoveries have contributed to our knowledge of these
             people. In 1927 a fluted point was uncovered near the town of Folsom, New
             Mexico, which dated back to about 8,500 BC. Similar artifacts from the same
             time period have since been discovered in Canada. In 1975 a discovery was
             made at the Bluefish Caves in the mountains of the northern Yukon
             Territory. These three small caves contained the bones of ancient animals,
             many of which showed signs that they had been butchered. As well,
             archaeologists found stone tools that could only have been made by humans.
             One tool, a burin or stone chisel, is the oldest evidence of human
             occupation in Canada. Using a technique known as radiocarbon dating,
             scientists were able to conclude that hunting parties between 25,000 and
             12,000 years ago used the caves intermittently.
             Over the millennia these ancient peoples dispersed throughout North
             America and developed subsistence strategies particular to their
             environments. For example, ancestors of today's Inuit learned how to cope
             with their harsh environment by using the northern resources to their
             advantage and developing unique tools. Those migrating to the coastal and
             prairie regions of the country did the same, adapting to their surroundings
             through ingenuity and invention.
             By the time of first contact with the Europeans, there were millions
             of inhabitants already di...