Long before the first European settlers crossed the Atlantic, hundreds of Indigenous nations have existed upon and cultivated the lands now known as the Americas. These Indigenous nations are linguistically and culturally diverse, and their governing systems, agricultural practices, economies, traditions and spiritual or religious beliefs vary greatly. There are 574 federally recognized Native American and Alaska Native nations in the United States alone. Federally recognized Native American nations (also known as tribes or Alaska Native Villages) have their own sovereign governments that maintain government-to-government relationships with the United States. There are many more Native communities that are not recognized by the United States, as well as hundreds of other Indigenous nations throughout the other countries in North and South America.

This collection of educational resources offers a snapshot of the historical and present-day stories of some Native American communities. Readers in North and South America are encouraged to explore native-land.ca to learn more about the indigenous groups in your area.