1. Section 1: The First Texans
Main Ideas
Historians organize the past into eras to make their studies more manageable.
Anthropologists and archaeologists study the remains of early cultures to learn about the first Texans.
Question: What are the eras into which historians have divided Texas history?

2. Natural Texas and Its People Before 1528
ERA
DATES
CHARACTERISTICS
Natural Texas and Its People
Before 1528
only American Indians in Texas
complex American Indian societies across the state
Age of Contact
first Europeans reached Texas in 1528
earliest contact between Europeans and American Indians in Texas
Spanish Colonial Period
Spanish efforts to establish control
building of missions, forts, and other settlements
Mexican National Period
began with Mexican independence from Spain
efforts to bring settlers to Texas
Revolution and Republic
rebellion against Mexico and establishment of independent republic
struggles of a young country
Early Statehood
Texas joined United States in 1845
many challenges, including war, boundary issues, and population growth

3. The First Americans
It is thought that most Native Americans are descendents from people that crossed over from Asia to America on a land bridge– the Bering Land bridge.
As the world's glaciers and ice sheets melted over the following millennia, rising sea level flooded the land bridge.
This picture demonstrates the diminishing of the bridge over thousands of years
First of all, the first people in America actually came from some place other than America. One widely accepted theory is that the first people traveled from Asia by walking over a land bridge, called the Bering Land Bridge that once existed btwn Alaska and Asia. This land bridge eventually disappeared due to flooding cause by melting glaciers.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

4. Migration Paths
As the people began to migrate to America, they all branched off and to different locations. As you can see, most of the people traveled to areas with a lot of water. The people that we will be focusing on eventually, thousands of years later, migrated to the Texas area.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

5. The First Natives Americans
Paleo-Indians were the first to come over the land bridge
Archeologist believe they were the ancestors of the Chickasaws
Living between 10,000 BC to 1000 BC

6. American Indians in Texas
An Overview
Coahuiltecans
Caddo
Karankawa
Jumano
Atakapa
Apache
Wichita
Chris Aigner

7. Here is a map of the most well-known Native Texans
Here is a map of the most well-known Native Texans. The Indians that we will be discussing are the Comanche, Caddo, Wichita, Tonkawa, Karankawa, Coahuiltecan, Apache, and Jumano Indians.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

8. Section 2: The Western Gulf Culture Area
Main Ideas
The Karankawas, who lived along the Gulf Coast, hunted and gathered plants to survive.
The Coahuiltecans lived in dry southern Texas.
Question: What are some similarities and differences between the Karankawas and the Coahuiltecans?

9. Group Location Foods Clothing/ Appearance Shelter
Karankawas
Coahuiltecans
Gulf Coastal Plain (near coast in fall and winter; inland in spring and summer)
wigwams
along coast: fish; inland: bison and deer
various plants
rich and varied diet
little clothing
men: deerskin breechcloths
women: deerskin or grass skirts
painted bodies in bright colors
South Texas Plains
temporary shelters made of hides laid over branches
game animals hunted with bows and arrows
gourds and squashes
men: little clothing
women: grass or deerskin skirts
long hair for both men and women

10. The Coahuiltecan Many similar groups of Indians in the same area
called the Coahuiltican Indians out of convenience
South Texas, Eastern Mexico
Hunter/Gatherers
The Coahuiltecan now reffers to a bunch of similar Indian tribes and clans that lived in South Tx and E Mexico. They were hunters and gathers. Once people started to come to America, though, their lives were pretty much destroyed. They became incredibly poor and often starved or ate rotten food with maggots on it. They also contracted diseases. Because of this they were often refered to as dirty and smelly.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

11. The Coahuiltecan Wickiups, sometimes Little clothing, if any
Made sandles out of lechuguilla plants
If they could, they would live in Wickiups, but most often they slept out in the open. They rarely wore any clothing, but they did make sandles out of a spiky plant called lechuguilla.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

12. The Karankawa Galveston and Corpus Christi area
Food= fish fish fish!
Clothing
Men: breach cloths or nothing at all
Women: grass skirts
Lived in wickiups during the winter
Got around in canoes
Could hold a family and all their possessions
Larger than most Native Americans at 6’
The Karankawa Natives lived along the Gulf Coast. There diet consisted of sea food and hardly anything else! They did not wear much clothing because of the warm climate. The men wore breach cloths or went naked, and the women wore grass skirts. They lived in Wikiups in the winter. Whenever they traveled, the moved along the swamps and marshes in large canoes which were big enough to hold a whole family and all of its possessions.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

13. Karankawa Had appointed chiefs to lead villages
Nomads, made dugout canoes, died out from European diseases
Click on picture

14. Section 3: The Southeastern Culture Area
Main Ideas
The Caddos of East Texas were advanced farmers.
The Wichitas hunted and farmed to survive.
Atapaka settlements developed differently based on their locations.
Question: What traits did the Caddos, Wichitas, and Atakapas have in common?

15. Caddo (Plains Group) Lived in the coastal plains
Got their food by farming-ate fruits, vegetables and grains
Lived in Grass Huts made out of wooden frames and dry grasses
Worked together as a confederacy
Called “mound builders”, made pottery, moved to Oklahoma, Gave Texas its name

16. The Wichita Tattoos— “raccoon-eyed people”
Wore clothes made of tanned hides
Men: shirts, loin cloths and leggings
Women: dresses that reached from their chin to their ankles
Moccasins
Elk teeth were very valuable
trade items with neighboring tribes
The Wichita Indians are noted for their tattooing around their eyes, which made them resemble raccoons. They called themselves raccoon-eyed people because of this. Their clothing and moccasins were made out of tanned hides. The men wore shirts, loin cloths, and leggings. The women must have been hot, because they wore dresses that reached from their chin all the way to the ground! They sometimes adorned themselves or their clothing with elk teeth, which were very valuable. They may have used them as trading items.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

17. Wee-Ta-Ra-Sha-Ro, Head Chief of the Wichita
Wee-Ta-Ra-Sha-Ro, Head Chief of the Wichita. Painted by George Catlin in 1834

19. ATAKAPA
Southwest Lousiana and Texas (near present day Houston to Homma, Louisiana
Called the Ishak or “the People”
Ritual Cannibalism
Great traders, first to have contact with Spanish Explorers in Texas

20. CADDOS
WICHITAS
ATAKAPAS
permanent villages
dwellings of wooden poles covered with grass
farmed beans, corn, squash
hunted buffalo, deer
wore tattoos
rich farmland
farmed corn
fished; hunted buffalo
men wore breechcloths
made pottery
wore tattoos
farmed corn
hunted buffalo
wore tattoos

21. Section 4: The Pueblo Culture Area
Main Ideas
Some Jumanos were farmers who lived in villages, while others roamed the plains hunting buffalo.
Disease, drought, and attacks ended Jumano culture.
Question: What were some of the problems faced by the Jumanos?

22. Jumano (Pueblo Group) Lived in the mountains near the Rio Grande River
Got their food by farming-ate dried corn, squash and beans
Lived in Adobe Pueblos
Each village had a leader with its own government
Cooked using a hollow gourd, traded with other tribes

24. European diseases droughts in the 1600s and 1700s Apache warfare
Jumanos had no immunity; many died
less water for irrigation led to crop failure; plains grasses died, drove buffalo away
by mid-1700s, Jumanos lost control of much of their land

25. Section 5: The Plains Culture Area
Main Ideas
Plains Indians, including the Tonkawas, hunted buffalo.
The Apaches, Comanches, and Kiowas were fierce warrior groups in Texas.
Question: What was life like for the American Indians of the Texas Great Plains?

26. The Tonkawa “The people of the wolf” Totemic belief system
Believed descended from mythical wolf
Totemic belief system
each clan had a mythical animal or spirit to guard them
The Tonkawas called themselves the people of the wolf. They believe that they are descended from a mythical wolf. The Tonkawa clans practiced a totemic belief system and each clan was guarded by an animal spirit.
Click the picture or the wolf on the next slide for more information.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

27. The Tonkawa Tattooed bodies Hill country of central Texas
Shared land with the Karankawa and Coahuiltecan
Friendly, but enemies with Comanche and Apache tribes
Hunted and gathered food
Fish, deer, blackberries
Lived in huts, wickiups and tee-pees
They also tattooed their bodies. They lived in the Texas Hill Country and were very friendly. They shared land with all that needed it. However, they were not friends with the Comanches or Apaches, who were enemies to everyone. They lived in a variety of homes: huts, wickiups, and teepees and were hunter-gatherers.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

28. Plains Indians Apaches Comanches Kiowas lived in bands
used horses to hunt
used buffalo hides for many purposes
some farmed
often raided other groups
depended on horses
lived in bands led by two chiefs
were skilled hunters
were skilled warriors
controlled much of the northern and western Texas plains
hunted buffalo
gathered berries, fruits, and nuts
traded
were skilled fighters
wore hides, ate pemmican

29. Lipan Apache (Plains Group)
Lived in the South Texas plains
Got their food by hunting- ate buffalo
Lived in teepees
One chief led the tribe
Nomads, made pottery, moved to reservation in early 1900’s

31. The Apaches Migrated to Texas from Canada
“Apache” is probably Zuni which means “enemy”
The Apache and Navajo called themselves the Dine
Dine in Apache or Navajo means "the people”
Built wickiups and teepees
Semi-sedentary
Farmed and hunted
The Apaches are late-comers. They migrated to Texas all the way from present day Canada! The word Apache was given to them. They did not actually call themselves Apaches. It is probably Zuni which means enemy. The Apahces and Navajos actually called themselves Dine, which simply means “the people”. They lived in wickiups and teepees because they were semi-sedentary.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

32. The Apaches Wore leather boots and wide cloth headbands
After the horse, stopped farming to hunt
Pushed further south by Comanche
Two groups: Lipan and Mescaleros
Sought refuge in Spanish missions but treated like slaves
Geronimo- famous leader of the Mescalero Apaches
1870s- led a famous raid in southern New Mexico and far west Texas
The horse was very important to the Apaches as well as the Comanches. They stopped farming to hunt because it was easier. Although the Apaches were not very friendly, the Comanches were worse and continued to push them further and further south. Eventually the Apaches broke up into two groups calld the Lipan and Mescaleros. The Lipan Apaches lived in southern TX and the Mescalero Apaches moved to the El Paso area. The Apaches were treated badly by the Spanish when they sought refuge from the Comanches. A famous Mescalero Apache is Geronimo. In the 1870s he raided southern NM and far W TX.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

33. The Comanche Migrated from Wyoming Hunters and gatherers
Used the horse for their main source of transportation and food-getting
“Well dressed”
The Comanche leaders often wore fine European clothes, with many silver conchos and fine leather boots.
The Comanche are probably one of the most well known Indians that we learn about in Texas. They are very nomadic and traveled to Texas all the way from Wyoming. They conquered the land in which they invaded, and did not attempt to make many friends. They got their food by hunting and gathering. Their main target was the buffalo which they used in many ways in their daily lives. Before the Spanish settlers brought horses, the Comanche tribes walked. It was very hard to hunt that way, so once the horse was introduced to them, they began to trade for them or to steal them and the horse became their main source of transportation and means of hunting. The Comanches have been described as “well-dressed” because they traded with European settlers.
Moore, Edward R & Texarch Assoc., Texas Indians,

36. American Indians in Texas
Think about it!
American Indians are the ancestors of our country and our state. What can we take away from their lives to apply to our own?

38. COMPARING THE TEXAS TRIBES

39. In what ways were Texas Plains Indian groups similar to one another?
Chapter Wrap-Up
How were the lives of the Caddos similar to and different from those of the Jumanos?
In what ways were Texas Plains Indian groups similar to one another?
How did new tools and technologies affect American Indians in Texas?