Who Was in the Americas Before "Indians"?

"Indians" (Native Americans/First Peoples/Indigenous Peoples) were the first humans in the Americas. The question contains a category error.

Current Scientific Consensus

• Arrival: 15,000-23,000+ years ago (Beringia land bridge + coastal route)
• Genetics: Descend from Ancient North Siberians + East Asians; distinct from all Old World populations
• Diversification: Rapid spread → hundreds of cultures, languages, civilizations (Olmec, Maya, Inca, Mississippian, Pueblo, etc.)

Pre-Clovis Evidence

• Monte Verde, Chile (14,500-18,500 BP)
• Cooper's Ferry, Idaho (16,000 BP)
• White Sands, NM footprints (21,000-23,000 BP)

No Earlier Humans

No credible evidence for pre-Indigenous populations (Solutrean hypothesis, Polynesian contact, etc. lack genetic/archaeological support). All living and ancient Native Americans share common ancestry from the initial peopling.

Terminology

Preferred: Indigenous Peoples, Native Americans, First Nations, American Indians (US), First Peoples (Canada), Pueblos Originarios (LatAm). "Indians" stems from Columbus's error.