Chapter 2: Natives and Newcomers Section 2: Indian Life at the Time 
of European Contact

- 30 + Indian groups lived in NC Native American Habits and Beliefs - all tribes planted the “three 
sisters”- corn, beans, squash

- Village Life o all tribes lived in villages by 1500s o shelter = wattle and daub hut o all children belonged to a clan § raised by common ancestor of mother o work divided evenly b/t men and women o governed by consensus

- Belief Systems o respected nature and elders o believed all things had spiritual qualities o verbal storytelling

- The Columbian Exchange o meeting of Native Americans and 
Europeans led to drastic changes o Europeans brought new animals: horses, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens o Indians traded small animals o Europeans also brought diseases: smallpox, measles, chicken pox, influenza § Wiped out half of the Native American 
population

Algonquin Tribes - lived along the coast - took advantage of the environment o depended heavily on fish from the sea 
and sounds o ate fruit, melons, walnuts, cucumbers, 
gourds, peas, etc - known for white corn

- dominated the Coastal Plain - near the Neuse and Tar Rivers The Tuscarora - dominated the Coastal Plain - near the Neuse and Tar Rivers - name means “hemp gatherers” (rope 
and cord) - related to the Iroquois - had “flat” bodies o kids laced to boards for posture o “well-shaped” limbs Chinese Foot Binding Egyptian Neck Stretching

The Catawba - lived in Piedmont region - name means they lived “where the river 
divides” - made burnt-black pottery out of clay 
found in the area - many groups: Waxhaw, Sapona, 
Occoneechi - all groups spoke similar language - related to the Sioux tribes of the Great 
Plains

The Cherokee - most famous group in NC - related to the Iroquois - used to live along the Ohio River o were driven out by the Iroquois (fighting) - first settled in the mountains of NC - called themselves “yun wi ya”= “the 
principal people” - had 3 distinct divisions: o “lower Cherokee”- southern NC o “upper Cherokee”- Tennessee River Valley o “middle Cherokee”- western NC (most important villages) - each division spoke a different dialect - lacked clay, so made baskets for storage

Native American Name Generator