Native Texans Chapter 4

Prehistoric Cultures The first people in the Americas *The first people to live in TX probably descended from people who migrated from Asia. *HOW???? Water passage between Asia and Alaska called the Bering Strait was at one time dry.

Bering Strait “land bridge” Route

*Early Asian peoples may have crossed this “land bridge” to reach America. *WHY???? They were possibly following large game (animals) to hunt *Hunter-gatherers: people who survive by searching for wild plants & animals to eat.

*Arrived in small bands – two or more extended families that lived together under one leader. -Over thousands of years, spread across North, Central, and S. America -Developed ways of life that were suited for their environment! -Different cultures developed!

Native Texan Tribes Wichita Coahultecan Karankawa Atakapan Caddo Tonkawa Lipan Apache Jumano Tigua Comanche Kiowa Concho

Western Gulf Peoples Coahuiltecans Karankawas

COAHUILTECANS *Location: South Texas Plains: Dry, brushy, few trees. *Nomadic hunters & gatherers!

Food source: Relied on small game: rabbits, small rodents, reptiles, birds, bugs, & fish (when around water). Gathered plants, nuts, seeds. Also, bugs, dirt, rotten wood, and….deer pooh! *hunted w/bow & arrows and small traps.

Shelter: *Domes – Sticks covered with animal skin and grass. *Called wikiup huts *Usually lived and slept out in the open b/c mild climate

Leadership/Tribal size. The oldest was the most respected Leadership/Tribal size *The oldest was the most respected. *You were born into power, or leadership. *Many small groups (bands) make up this tribe

KARANKAWA *Location: Texas Coastline: Coastal Prairies and marshes *Seasonal hunters and gatherers

Food Source: *Staple diet: fish, shellfish, oysters, turtles, wide variety of plants, nuts, and berries. *Hunted: bison, antelope, deer, javelina, bear, and alligators. *Hunted with bow/arrows, fished with hooks & dugout canoes *May have practiced cannibalism: To get revenge & capture enemy’s courage/strength! Violent tribe.

Shelter: *Moveable grass huts (wikiups)

Leadership/Tribal Size *Karankawa bands-30 or 40 people *Headed by chiefs *Title of chief hereditary

Southeastern Peoples Atakapan Caddo Wichita

CADDO *Location: East Texas – Piney forests *Farmers – permanent dwellings

Food Source: *Farmers planted large crops in clearings: Main source: corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, Gathered: plants, fruits, & nuts Hunted: deer, turkey, rabbits, squirrels *Men were nomadic hunters –village stayed. *Bow & arrows, basket traps, tomahawks

Shelter *Lived in mound shaped dwellings made of wood frame and switch grass *Mounds: - Ritual practices (temple) -Burials

Leadership/Tribal size *3 large Caddo confederacies – alliances of groups that unite for a common purpose. *Each community divided into groups of inherited ranks! *Religious and political leaders on top

ATAKAPAN *Location: Southeastern Coastline *Hunters and gatherers (little farming)

Food Sources: *Main source: fish, oysters, crab, shrimp. *Gathered fruit, nuts, honey, plants, roots *Hunted deer, buffalo, alligator, bear *Seasonal nomads! *May have practiced cannibalism for ritual purposes! Those eaten did not have a life after death (stealing afterlife from their enemies)

Shelter: *Brush shelters, which were small huts made of grass and reeds built around a simple wooden framework. *Easy to build and move from place to place

WICHITA Location: North Central Texas Farmers & seasonal Nomads

Food Sources: *Farmers *large fields of: corn, pumpkins, squash, melons, beans, plum trees. *After harvest, left homes and hunted buffalo in winter.

Shelter: -Permanent dwelling: wooden frame w/grasses -temporary dwelling: tepees (during winter) *Became hunters after obtaining horses from the Kiowas!

The Plains Peoples Lipan Apache Comanche Kiowa Tonkawa

LIPAN APACHES *Location: Great Plains (Pushed into Southern Plains) *Nomadic hunters

Food Source: *Spring/summer: harvested corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, and watermelon *Fall/winter: Hunted buffalo *One of first tribes to ride horses! -Helpful to cover larger areas in search of buffalo

Shelter: *Tipis: cone-shaped tent made of poles covered with animal skins.

Leadership/Tribal size: *Made up of several bands *Each band elected a chief - not hereditary *Bands came together in times of war or religious/social ceremonies

COMANCHE *Location: Great Plains *Nomadic hunters

Food Source: *Primary source: Buffalo: hunted it year-round! *Elk, gathered berries & nuts

Shelter: *Lived in tipis *Acquired horses from Spanish *Expert riders (best)/warriors *Life depended on buffalo – provided clothing, shelter, most food!!

Leadership/Tribal size: *At least 13 bands roamed the plains *Each band had a chief with limited power *Rank possibly inherited

KIOWAS *Location: Northern Panhandle *Nomadic hunters

*Food Source: -Buffalo was main Source for food, clothing, shelter *Shelter: *Tepees *Diet, dress (buffalo skins), and appearance similar to Comanche & Apache.

TONKAWA *Location: Central Texas *Nomads – Hunter/gatherers

*Food Source: -Buffalo….but Changed! Pushed out by Comanche/Apache Became hunter/gatherers!!! -Small game: rabbits, skunks, rats, turtles, rattlesnakes -Roots, seeds, fruit, acorns, & pecans *Buffalo – main source of food & materials for clothing/tools

*Shelter: -Tepees covered in buffalo skins -Later: wood frame covered in brush/grasses *Leadership: -Elected war chiefs to lead them

Puebloan Natives Jumano Tigua Concho

JUMANOS *Location: Mountains & Basins *Farmers, established villages

*Shelter: -Pueblos made of adobe: a mix of clay & straw made into bricks/dried in sun *Food source: corn, beans, squash (farming difficult in hot, desert land) Gathered wild plants -Fields close to rivers/streams

*Location: Southern point of M & B CONCHO *Location: Southern point of M & B *Farmers

*Food source: -corn, beans, squash near rivers -nuts, berries, roots, fruit from diff. types of cactus -Hunted: deer, birds, rabbits, small animals -Rivers: fish/clams

*Shelter: -Huts covered in grass or animal skin *Disappeared late 1600’s -Two theories: 1. Merged with Jumanos 2. Died out from diseases carried by Spanish

TIGUA *Location: Eastern point of M & B *Farmers

antelope gathered berries, wild plants *Shelter: pueblos, *Crops: corn, beans, squash Hunted: deer, rabbits, antelope gathered berries, wild plants *Shelter: pueblos, including kiva: large room used for meetings & religious ceremonies *Tribal council governed the tribe and elected the chief (served for life)

So, what happened to these tribes??? *The impact of Spanish horses and European diseases on Texas tribes was tremendous. The horse revolutionized the nomadic way of life, while the diseases brought by explorers, missionaries, soldiers and settlers wiped out almost all of Texas Indians by 1890.