1. The Native American World
Chapter 1, section1

2. “This section examines some patterns of early Native American life that would play an important role once Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans……finally made contact with one another.”

3. Was the Native American world flourishing?
Late 1400’s anywhere from 700,000 to ten million people may have lived in the United States
Groups, customs, culture varied according to regions

4. So who were they? Region Environment Culture(s) The North
-coast of North America
-mild to cold environment
-lived near water
-Inuit & Aleut , Koyukon & Ingalik
-Nomadic, hunter/gatherers
The Northwest Coast
-waterways of coastal Northwest
-Coos, Coast Salish, Makah, others
-fishermen
California
-Southern coast of California
-lived mountains and large valleys
-Chumash, Yurok, Serrano, others
-fishermen, gatherers
-lived in small bands
-spoke many languages

5. continued…………………… Region Environment Culture(s) The Plateau
-inland, Northwest coast
-dry plains with rivers between Cascades and Rockies
-Chinook, Cayuse
-fisherman
-dug edible roots
-villages on high riverbanks
The Great Basin
-between Sierra Nevada and Rockies
-dry land, scarce food
-Paiute, Ute, Shoshoni
-small groups
-worked together
-hunter, gatherers
The Southwest
-around 4” rain annually (dry environment)
-south of Great Basin
-Hopi, Zuni, Pueblo
-settled lives
-farmers
-some lived in large complexes (Pueblo) much like apartments

6. continued…………………… Region Environment Culture(s) The Plains
-central United States
-Mandan, Wichita, Pawnee
-planted corn, beans, squash
-hunters of buffalo (used for clothes, shelter, and food)
The Northeast
-woodlands
-plentiful rainfall
-Seneca, Lenape
-women responsible for house and garden
-Hunter, gatherers (deer, moose, small game)
-farmers, fishermen
The Southeast
-mountains and swamps
-coastal areas
- mostly wooded
-Natchez, Creek, Cherokee
-large and varied environment and cultures
-large towns and individual homes
-large temples and mounds
-Cherokee (educated)

7. Social Life family important
fulfilled social, medical, educational needs of the people
Family units:
Kinship networks (beyond parent/child)
Clans (common ancestor)
Division of labor between men and women

8. Religion Frequent ceremonial celebrations
Very spiritual
Must recognize “power of spiritual forces”
Misfortunes like disease, military defeat, bad harvests if rituals ignored
Strictly followed traditional rituals:
Marriage, harvests & planting, death, etc.
Oral traditions passed through generations

9. Trade All Native Americans practiced trading
Trade for needs
Trade for hospitality and friendliness
Sharing meant respect
Economic trade considered social
Trading all across continent among all regions