North American indigenous peoples have cultures spanning thousands of years . Some of their oral traditions accurately describe historical events , such as the Cascadia earthquake of 1700 and the 18th-century Tseax Cone eruption . Written records began with the arrival of European explorers and colonists during the Age of Discovery , beginning in the late 15th century . European accounts by trappers , traders , explorers , and missionaries give important evidence of early contact culture . In addition , archeological and anthropological research , as well as linguistics , have helped scholars piece together an understanding of ancient cultures and historic peoples
Cascadia earthquake of 1700
1700 Cascadia earthquake
First Nations