Final answer:
The earliest culture in North America known for its indigenous adaptation between 13,200 and 11,900 BP is the Clovis culture. Identified by Clovis points, they were widespread hunter-gatherers transitioning to the Archaic period, which saw the beginnings of agriculture and complex societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The earliest culture in North America that is recognized for its successful, indigenous adaptation, dating between 13,200 and 11,900 BP (Before Present), is called the Clovis culture. This culture is identified by distinctive stone tools, including the Clovis point, a leaf-shaped projectile point used for hunting. The Clovis people were highly mobile hunter-gatherers who spread across North America, leaving behind evidence of their presence at various archaeological sites. They are considered to be among the first inhabitants of the Americas, having presumably migrated over the Bering Land Bridge and adapted to different environments, creating a homogenous culture that influenced subsequent indigenous populations.
After the Paleo-Indian era, characterized by the Clovis culture, the period known as the Archaic period emerged between about 9000 and 2000 BCE, marked by diverse cultural traditions across the continent. Evolving from a reliance on megafauna to broader subsistence strategies, these groups began to develop agriculture, leading to the domestication of plants and the establishment of more sedentary lifestyles. The surplus of food from agricultural activities gave rise to complex societies, such as those that would later build the Mississippian Cahokia settlement.