Native American Location and Regions

Absolute Location Absolute locations are approximate because Native Americans did not believe in owning land. Not all tribes were nomadic, many settled in one location or were only semi-nomadic. Navajo: Latitude: 36° 11' 7.80" N Longitude: -109° 34' 14.99" W Tequesta: Latitude: 25° 35' 49.02" N Longitude: -80° 15' 50.58" W

Relative Location There were many Native American tribes living in the Great Plains. Because of their relative location to each other, they had to compete for resources. The competition for resources led to many conflicts. The Lakota were located north of the Pawnee. The Lakota started to move south and encountered the Pawnee The Pawnee were settled on rich hunting lands. Lakota wanted the lands. Pawnee war parties were on foot and were no match for the Lakota who were on horses. Lakota won and now controlled the hunting lands.

How do we group Native Americans? They are often grouped into tribes or nations. These groupings were generally based on peoples that shared the same culture, language, religion, customs, and politics. There are over 1,000 Native American Tribes in the United States. They are also grouped together based on their geographic region.

Grouping Native Americans by Regions Arctic/Subarctic - These Native Americans survived some of the coldest weather on the planet. They include the Inuit people of Alaska who lived primarily off of whale and seal meat. Population is sparse, no large permanent settlements, and small family groups that stick together and follow the herds of caribou. Californian - Tribes living in the area that is today the state of California such as the Mohave and the Miwok. They did not practice much agriculture. They organized themselves into small, family-based groups of hunter-gatherers known as tribelets. Inter-tribelet relationships were generally peaceful.

Grouping Native Americans by Regions continued… Great Basin - This is a dry area and was one of the last to have contact with Europeans. The Great Basin tribes include the Washo, Ute, and Shoshone. Their settlements and social groups were temporary, and communal leadership was informal. Great Plains - One of the largest areas and perhaps most famous group of Native Americans, the Great Plains natives were known for hunting bison. They were nomadic people who lived in teepees and they moved constantly following the bison herds. Tribes of the Great Plains include the Blackfoot, Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Comanche and Crow.

Grouping Native Americans by Regions continued… Northeast Woodlands - One of the first to have sustained contact with Europeans. Two main groups: Iroquoian speakers and Algonquian speakers. Iroquoian: lived along inland rivers and lakes, had fortified politically stable villages, were aggressive and warlike. Algonquian: lived in small farming and fishing villages along the ocean, grew crops like corn, beans, and vegetables. Northwest Coast/Plateau - These Native Americans were known for their houses made of cedar planks as well as their totem poles. Tribes include the Nez Perce, Salish, and the Tlingit.

Grouping Native Americans by Regions continued… Southeast - The largest Native American tribe, the Cherokee, lived in the Southeast. Other tribes included the Seminole in Florida and the Chickasaw. Many of its natives were expert farmers, grew crops like maize, beans, squash, and sunflower Southwest - The southwest was dry and the Native Americans lived in tiered homes made out of adobe bricks. Famous tribes here include the Navajo Nation, the Apache, and the Pueblo Indians. Two distinct ways of life: sedentary farmers or nomads.

2019 Pueblo Buffalo Dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o74 Z0ZZOTEI The festival traditionally coincided with the return of the buffalo herds, and included a feast and a dance with a number of men wearing buffalo and other animal skins.