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

2. - 30 + Indian groups lived in NC
Native American Habits and Beliefs
- all tribes planted the “three 
sisters”- corn, beans, squash

3. - 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

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

5. - 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

6. 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

7. - 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Native American Name Generator