Native Americans People lived in the United States long before the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the Europeans. These people and cultures are called Native Americans. Native Americans lived throughout North and South America.They were grouped into tribes or nations usually based on the area they lived in and their culture such as their religion, customs, and language. Today, some of the descendants of the original American Indians live on reservations.(These are areas of land set aside specifically for Native Americans).This helps to protect their heritage and culture.