Indigenous Peoples of the Americas | Estateplanning

Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the aboriginal inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere, with populations estimated between 3 million and 12 million at the time of European contact around 1492. These diverse societies developed complex cultures, sophisticated agricultural systems, and well-organized political structures across North, Central, and South America over at least 15,000–20,000 years of habitation. From the Aztecs and Mayans to the Mississippians and countless other nations, Indigenous peoples shaped their environments and created rich traditions that persist today despite centuries of colonization, displacement, and systemic oppression.