CHEROKEE INDIANS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT Selena Johnson SS4H1 The students will describe how early Native American cultures developed in North America B. Describe how Native Americans used their environment to obtain food, clothing, and shelter.

Who were the Cherokee? The Cherokee are native people of the Southeast portion of the United States. They lived in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia.

How did the Cherokee get their food?  The Cherokee were farming people. The women grew and harvested corn, beans, and squash.  They gathered berries, nuts, and fruit.

 The men used bows and arrows and blowguns to hunt animals like deer and wild turkeys.  They used spears and fishing poles to catch fish.  To the Cherokee people it was very important that every part of the animal was used and as little as possible went to waste.

What kind of homes did the Cherokee have?  The Cherokee lived in houses made from clay and river cane and other plants.  In winter some members moved to an asi, which is a circular house that is sunken into the ground.  Later the Cherokee began building log cabins.  Cherokee did NOT live in teepees, wigwams, or longhouses.

Examples of Cherokee homes…

What did the Cherokee Wear? Women wore deerskin tops, skirts, and moccasins. Men wore deerskin loin clothes in the summer, and added leggings, skirts, and robes in the winter, all made of deerskin.

References:    kee/food-clothing.html kee/food-clothing.html