Eli5: Why did civilizations such as the Pre Dorset, Thule, and Inuit not migrate south if their environments were so harsh and extreme?

Question

I read a few articles where some of these civilizations main focus was keeping warm because they were located so far north. So why would they not migrate more south?

In: 661

Answer 1

They did.

It’s less well known with native Americans but this is mostly seen in eurasia via the Mongols and other central Asian peoples.

They developed to live in harsh steppe terrain that was unsuitable for civilization….

And frequently spilled out of this terrain to raid the richer and more fertile civilized lands.

By their very nature however their numbers were lesser and the way of life in the fertile lands was seen as more prestigious so via migrating they changed and were assimilated.

This would have happened with native American groups from harsh terrain such as the Inuit with groups that lived in more fertile terrain – they did raid southwards. But if they were succesful then they would stop being fringe people and change.