Land and People Before European Exploration Pre-Historic Native Americans: Paleo, Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian

Paleo Natives first people living in North America during the Ice Age hunters and gathers used wooden spears to hunt large animals nomadic, moving around to follow the food wore moccasin shoes and animal skin made baskets and used rocks for carving and making tools In Tennessee, mammoth fossils were found at the Coats-Hines Site.

Archaic Natives 6,000-500 B.C.E. at the end of the Ice Age Hunter and gatherers Moved with the seasons Hunted smaller animals with an atlatl, a new tool that threw spears Built brush shelters Used a mano, a round stone to grind nuts, seeds, and grains Made bowls for cooking and storage Wore clothes made of deerskin In Tennessee, they lived in the Pinson Mounds

Woodland Natives 1200 -200 BCE Began to live in towns and villages Horticulture began with the first farming Hunted small animals with a bow and arrow Lived in wigwams or longhouses Built mounds to bury their dead Painted their faces, wore masks, and dressed up for ceremonies Began making pottery In Tennessee, they lived in Old Stone Fort

Mississippian Natives 800-1600 Lived in communities and had chiefs Farmed with axes, digging sticks, and fires hunted and fished Built canoes Lived in homes that were built of wooden poles with a fire in the center of the home. Chiefs’ homes were built on top of mounds In Tennessee, they lived in the Chucalissa Indian Village.

Religious beliefs, customs, and traditions of the Cherokee, Creek, and Chickasaw Natives

Cherokee Natives Lived in the East part of TN Summer homes were made of a frame of logs, covered in wood, bark, or fabric covered in mud. Winter homes were round, smaller, and partially sunken in the ground to keep warm Principal Chief was the highest ruler. Lived in clans, a group of close-knit families. Matrilineal society- women were responsible for family, farming, and home. Men were responsible for war and hunting. Beloved Woman was “Ghigua”. She was a highly respected special woman in each tribe Played marble games, hand games, and stickball games Believed in spirits, relied on ceremonies to help them be victorious in war, stay healthy, and grow good crops

Chickasaw Tribe Located in West TN Summer homes were rectangular with a gable roof, porch, and balcony. Winter home was circular using the wattle and daub structure (mud spread over a basket-like framework) and sunken into ground Villages circled a Council House that was for meetings, ceremonies, and celebrations Democratic, but had a chief called the Minko. He led the clan and reported to a higher Minko that led the entire Chickasaw Nation. Second in command was the war chief. Women made the clothes from animal skins. Women wore skirts and dresses. Women wore their hair up using a string of beads Men shaved most of their hair except on long lock at the very top called a scalp lock. Men wore breechcloths and shirts. Women were in charge of slaves, children, and farming. Men hunted. Played stickball

Creek Natives Located in Middle TN Lived much life the Cherokees and the Chickasaws Built their towns around a plaza where people held ceremonies or played games They would split their towns if they believed they had gotten too large. The Creeks and Cherokees were enemies. Lived in single-family homes made of plaster and rivercane walls with thatched roofs. Had palisades, walls, around the village to guard against enemies. Had a clan society based on mother’s clan. This governed who they could joke with and marry. Tribal positions were filled by men, but women had financial rights and could own property. They also had much influence with the men. Each town had an appointed Beloved Woman who communicated with her equals in other towns.