First Americans Always click on the bow and arrow to get to the next slide
Cultural diversity, or multiculturalism, is based on the idea that cultural identities should not be discarded or ignored, but rather maintained and valued. The foundation of this belief is that every culture and race has made a substantial contribution to American history.
They are also called Native Americans or American Indians. The people who were the first to live in America are called First Americans. They are also called Native Americans or American Indians.
First Americans lived in many places in the United States First Americans lived in many places in the United States. These places are called “regions”.
Three regions that we will study are the Eastern Woodland, Plains, and the Southwest.
These are examples of natural resources: To meet their basic life needs, First Americans were very wise. They used the natural resources of their region. These are examples of natural resources: Trees and plants Animals Land and water Can you be as wise as a First American?
Good! Test your thinking skills. To become a wise chief, you must earn 3 feathers. Answer each question carefully and correctly. Are you ready?
The Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands
What would they use to build their houses? 1. The Eastern Woodland Indians lived in forests, near rivers and streams. What would they use to build their houses? Seashells Trees
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Their houses were made of wood and tree bark. Right! Their houses were made of wood and tree bark.
2. Sometimes, many people lived in a house, so it had to be big. What is the name of this kind of house? long house large house
Right! As many as six families lived in a long house. It could be 200 feet long!
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3. To get their food from the rivers and streams, the Eastern Woodland Indians fished swam
The Eastern Woodland Indians were very good fishermen. Right! The Eastern Woodland Indians were very good fishermen.
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Someone who captures animals for food is called a 4. The forests had many animals that were food for the Eastern Woodland Indians. Someone who captures animals for food is called a horseman hunter
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They hunted many animals, including bear, deer and rabbits. Right! They hunted many animals, including bear, deer and rabbits.
Someone who grows vegetables is called a 5. The Eastern Woodland Indians ate vegetables with their meat and fish. Someone who grows vegetables is called a farmer forester
Right! The Eastern Woodland Indians grew many vegetables, especially the “3 Sisters”— corn, beans, and squash
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6. You’ve learned that the Eastern Woodland Indians lived near rivers and streams. To get from place to place, they probably paddled canoes and drove cars paddled canoes and walked
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They made canoes from tree trunks. Right! They made canoes from tree trunks.
You have answered all the questions about the Eastern Woodland Indians correctly! Congratulations! You have earned your first feather! Click to continue
Cherokee Iroquois Language Tsalagi Beliefs Customs Art Literature (Carolinas, Alabama, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia) Iroquois (What is now New York State and across the border of Canada) Language Tsalagi Beliefs Spirits and performed ceremonies to ask spirits to help them in battle, health, and hunting. They believed in a great spirit who was the leader of all things. Customs Stick ball games (Anejodi) similar to lacrosse; traveled by horses Travel by foot or by boat; Stick ball games Art Painted baskets, decorated pots, wood carvings, carved pipes, and bead work Mask carving, beadwork, porcupine quill work Literature Oral telling of traditions, and tribal stories by the campfire Wampun belts and the pictures would tell a story about the family.
The Native Americans of the Plains Region
The Plains are flat, grassy areas The Plains are flat, grassy areas. First Americans who lived in the Plains region moved often to follow buffalo deer
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Right! The buffalo, also called bison, has a very large head. It eats grass and drinks water. An adult buffalo can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds!
2. The Indians lived in homes that could be moved quickly 2. The Indians lived in homes that could be moved quickly. These homes were called tents teepees
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Right! Women usually put up the teepee. It was made with buffalo hides and decorated with paint.
3. The Plains Indians hunted the buffalo for food and clothing 3. The Plains Indians hunted the buffalo for food and clothing. To capture the buffalo, the Plains Indians had to know how to ride a horse paddle a canoe
Right! The Plains Indians were very good horsemen. They killed only enough buffalo that they needed for food. They did not waste any part of the animal.
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4. There were many tribes that lived on the Plains 4. There were many tribes that lived on the Plains. To protect themselves from other tribes, the men learned how to fight with bows and arrows. These men were called Warriors Wrestlers
Right! The more feathers a warriors wore, the greater a warrior he was. Sometimes, a great warrior was given a buffalo helmet to wear, also.
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5. The Plains Indians did not settle in one place for a long time 5. The Plains Indians did not settle in one place for a long time. Tribes that move are called nomadic settled
Right! The Plains Indians carried their belongings on a travois (say “trah-voy”). It was made of 2 teepee poles attached to the harness of a horse or dog. It looked like this.
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You have answered all the questions about the Plains Indians correctly! You have earned your second feather! You are on your way to becoming a wise chief. Click to continue
Sioux Language Lakota/Dakota Beliefs (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana, North and South Dakota, Whole Midwest) Language Lakota/Dakota Beliefs There was a great spirit who was the most powerful of all things and beings. Plants had spirits of their own. Medicine Man who was the leader of the ceremonies. Customs Traveled by canoes and dogsleds Art Bead work, quill work, and buffalo hide paintings Literature Oral tells around the campfire
The Native Americans of the Southwest
1. The Southwest Indians lived in the dry, hot region of North America 1. The Southwest Indians lived in the dry, hot region of North America. There weren’t many forests. They built their homes of Wood Mud and straw
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Right! This mixture of mud and straw is called adobe. The Indians made the walls of their homes very thick. This would keep the houses cool.
2. The Southwest Native Americans built their homes with two or three stories or levels. To get to each level, they would use Stairs Ladders
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The ladders could easily be pulled up and stored inside each room. Right! The ladders could easily be pulled up and stored inside each room.
3. Even though there wasn’t much rain, the Southwest Indians learned to irrigate their land. Irrigate means to Scratch with a shovel Bring water to crops
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Right! The Southwest Indians made trenches that brought water from rivers and streams for their crops.
The Indians of the Southwest were farmers. Corn was an important crop. The Indian name for corn is Mustard Maize
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Did you know that there are more than 500 ways to use corn? Right! Did you know that there are more than 500 ways to use corn?
5. The Southwest Native Americans also raised sheep 5. The Southwest Native Americans also raised sheep. The wool from the sheep was used for Weaving clothing and rugs Making houses
They dyed the wool using berries and plants. Right! They dyed the wool using berries and plants.
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Excellent, my friend! You have earned your third feather. Your wise answers have made you a chief! Click to begin again
(Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Nevada) Pueblo (Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Nevada) Language Beliefs Kiva was a underground room where rituals and ceremonies would take place; Kachina dolls (represented the spirits) Customs Cradleboard carrying (like a baby carrier you see today); Traveled by foot Art Pottery (We still collect this today), Navajos Jewelry (Turquoise), colorful weavings, and stone carvings Literature Oral tells by the campfire