Native Americans of Long Ago Nez Perce Nation Native Americans of Long Ago

Great Basin

Great Basin

Great Basin Map

Plant Resources acorns flowers huckleberries

Plant Resources sagebrush

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Animal Resources elk chipmunk big horn sheep

Animal Resources wolf moose

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Nez Perce Tribe The Nez Perce lived in the Great Basin region in Idaho. The Great Basin is a desert high in the Rocky Mountains. It is very rocky. The climate is cold and snowy in the winter, very dry and hot in the summer.

Nez Perce Tribe The Nez Perce were named after French words meaning “pierced nose.” This name was a mistake. The Nez Perce people never pierced their noses.

The Nez Perce ate grapes, berries, camas roots, pemmican, and bison. Nez Perce Food The Nez Perce ate grapes, berries, camas roots, pemmican, and bison. Camas is a kind of flower with a big bulb for its root. It tastes like a sweet potato. Camas flower

It was stored in a “parfleche” /par - flesh/. Pemmican Pemmican was made by mashing together strips of meat, fat, and berries. It was stored in a “parfleche” /par - flesh/. parfleche

Smoking Meat

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Nez Perce Shelter The Nez Perce lived half of the year in earth lodges, and the other half in tipis.

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Nez Perce Clothing The Nez Perce wove clothing from trees or shrubs. They also wore animal skins, breechcloths, leggins, and moccasins.

Ceremonial Clothing

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Cradleboard

Horses The Nez Perce developed some of the largest herds of horses in America.

A horse is prepared for a Nez Perce ceremony. Horses A horse is prepared for a Nez Perce ceremony.

Hunting Tools spear

Tools pipe cover for bow Transportation gear arrows

Lewis and Clark In the early 1800s, Lewis and Clark were explorers for the United States. They traveled from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. The Nez Perce tribe helped Lewis and Clark in their travels. They gave Lewis and Clark food when they were huntry.

Lewis and Clark

Review Where is the Great Basin region? What plants and animals are in this region? What is the climate like in this region? What resources did the Nez Perce tribe use to meet their basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter? What other interesting information do you know about the Nez Perce people?

Native Americans End of Lesson