Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

Answers from the USCIS list

Give one of these answers.

• American Indians
• Native Americans

Our explanation

Native Americans, also called American Indians, lived here for about 20,000 years before Europeans came. There were many tribes (groups of people), each with its own language, culture, and government.

Remember it

“Native” = first people of a place. Native Americans were here before Europeans.

Source

USCIS 2025 Study Guide pp. 43, 55. Quote: “The people living in the Americas before the Europeans arrived are called Native Americans.” (p. 43) / “Native Americans are also called American Indians.” (p. 55)

• Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test (2008 version), rev. 08/21 (PDF, USCIS)

Last checked on September 29, 2026.

Found a mistake on this page? Email us at ljorjoliani@icloud.com.

Easy to mix up with

• 60What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
• 87Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.