Native American Cultural Summaries
Native People
Of the Northwest Coast
Historical
Perspective
G1- Movement
Canoes
G2-Region
Northwest US- Oregon
Thick Forest- wood; bear; elk; deer; moose; mountain goat;
beaver; bone/stone tipped spears; rope; wooden fences; large
wooden houses; roofing; mats, baskets; rope; blankets;
waterproof cape; TOTEM POLES
Ocean- fish; whale; seaweed; sea lions; seals; clams & shellfish;
Mountains- rocks for tools; protection in the East; rain curtain;
mountain goat
River- salmon; fresh water;
Northwest US- Oregon
Pacific Coast; Thick Forests; Mountains in the East; Heavy
Rainfall; Cool weather
Abundant resources
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Division of Labor; Specialization of work; Gender Roles:
Men- hunt, fish, build; carved masks; bowls; TOTEM POLES;
Women- dry salmon; weave; jewelry;
Large wooden houses with bark roofs.
Specialized tools: stone wedges and sledgehammers; spears,
harpoons; canoes; bone needle; waterproof capes; bone drills;
stone chisels; stone knives.
Native People
Historical
Perspective
Of the Great Plains
G1- Movement
Horses- more mobile, better hunters
G2-Region
Great Plains- Central USA
Buffalo- meat; dung- fire fuel; hide: shields, tepees, clothes,
bedding, waterproof containers, thread; brain & fats- oils;
tendons & hair bow strings; bones and hooves: tools, needles,
knives, and bowls and glue
Very little Wood: arrows; tent poles
Bird feathers: arrows
Rich Soil in the East
Stone: knives
From Rockies to the Mississippi Rvr. And from Canada to the Gulf
of Mexico
Large (2000 miles) open grassland
Stable food supply
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Stable food supply
Hunters: V-wall traps, stampedes, cliffs, spears, bows and arrows
Farms in the East
Specialized Tools: Horses; Bows&Arrows; needle&thread; tent
poles; shields; stone knives; stone scrapers
Evidence of Conflict
Division of Labor: Gender Roles:
Men: hunted
Women: sewed, soften hides, cut up meat
Native People
Of the Eastern Woodlands
Historical
Perspective
G1- Movement
Canoes; transportation on Rivers and Lakes
G2-Region
2 languages- Algonquian; Iroquois
Forest:
Wood: longhouse; hoes; canoes; grinders; bark barrels; spears,
syrup
Animals: deer; bears; beavers; birds; fish; EAT; Clothing
Water: drinking water; fish; travel, transportation
From the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean, and from
Canada to North Carolina
Snowy winters, rainy summers, villages around water; endless
forests, lakes and rivers and streams
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Housing: permanent: Longhouse- many families;
Trappers, hunters, builders, gatherers, farmers, fishers,
Specialized Tools: canoes, barrels, grinders, hoes, spears, traps,
nets
Division of Labor: Gender Roles:
Women: gathered greens, nuts, berries, sap; Farmers: hoe the
soil; planted- TOBACCO, sunflowers, corn, squash, beans; harvest;
dry; grind; store; Tanned deer hide for skirts, capes, moccasins;
boiled syrup
Men: Cleared the land; hunt; trap; net; fish
Native People
Historical
Perspective
Of the Southeast
G1- Movement
G2-Region
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Southeast USA
Agriculture- corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers
Jewelry- stone, shells, feathers, bones, pearls, and clay
Southern Ohio Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, and from Texas to the
Atlantic Ocean
Fertile Coastal Plains, River Valleys, Mountains and Swamps;
Humid, warm summers and mild winters.
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Division of Labor: Gender Roles:
Women: Gathered plants, nuts and berries; Farms:
Men: hunted; build MOUNDS,
Farms produced enough food to allow full-time mound builders;
Specialized tools: hoes (stone, shell, bone, wood); blowgun, bows
and arrows; basket;
Clothing- short deerskin skirts;
Jewelry: rings, earrings, arm rings, hair pins
MOUNDS- burial, temple- Religious Symbol/Ceremony
Village- mounds, houses, farms
Houses- Permanent- Young trees woven into a rectangle;
plastered with clay; pointed, leaf roofs;
Native People
Historical
Perspective
G1- Movement
G2-Region
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Of the Southwest
Nomads (wanderers)- hunter/gather
Farmers- stationary
Southwest US- AZ, NM, UT, CO, TX, OK, CA
Plants & Minerals- Dye fabrics
Clay: Adobe- bricks- great at insulating from Heat and Cold;
Clay ovens; Clay pots
Agriculture- CORN, squash, bean, chili peppers, cotton
Rabbit- meat
Southwest US- AZ, NM, UT, CO, TX, OK, CA
Canyons, Mountains, Deserts, Mesas; CO and Rio Grande
Rivers; Little Rainfall
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Specialized Tools: clay ovens, clay pots, irrigation ditches,
dams
Specialized Jobs: Spin and Weave cotton
Division of Labor: Gender Roles:
Men: dug irrigation ditches; built dams
Women: Grind corn. Bake bread
Cornmeal--- Bread
Stew
Cotton clothes
Dyed clothes bright colors
Large communities called PUEBLOS- apartment buildings
(1000 people) built from ADOBE (sun backed clay)
Native People
Historical
Perspective
Of the Great Basin
G1- Movement
Small groups wander (Nomads) in search of food and water
G2-Region
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Great Basin- East of CA; between the Sierra Nevada and Rocky
Mountains
Limited Trees- Willow branches; pine sap; pine nuts
Rabbit- clothing; meat
Lizards; snakes; grasshoppers
Reeds
Cattails
Plants (100)- seeds and berries and roots
East of CA; between the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains
Desert, harsh environment, limited rainfall, flat valleys
surrounded by mountains
Limited Resources
Small groups
Spend time looking for food
Temporary Housing- caves and huts
Specialized tools: water basket; nets; duck decoys; seed beater;
sharp stick
Rabbit Robes
Specialized Jobs: Division of Labor: Gender Roles:
Men: chased ducks
Women: gathered duck eggs and cattails, weaving baskets,
gathered berries; dug roots
Weaving
Native People
Historical
Perspective
G1- Movement
G2-Region
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Aztec
Books
Aqueducts
Causeway
Boats
Floating gardens;
Tomatoes
Mexico; Mexico City; Lake Texcoco
Lake;
Traded Northern Cultures
Rigid class system
Parks
Schools
Zoo
Writing- Books
Aqueducts
Causeway
WARRIOR; shields;
Slaves
Tribute
Boats
Religion- many gods (#1Sun and War)
Native People
Mayan
Historical
Perspective
Writing- wrote stories about their leaders
G1- Movement
G2-Region
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Hauled soil to their farms- Fertilizer
Pilgrimage- religious journey
Southern Mexico and Central America—Middle Empire
Limestone- temples, pyramids, palaces
Southern Mexico and Central America—Middle Empire
Agriculture; Trade; Token Economy- Cacao Bean money
Religious Government (Theocracy)
Pyramid Social Structure: Top= Leader/Priests; Bottom- normal
people
OLDEST southern Empire
Astronomy
Math- Zero
Accurate Calendar
Terrace Farming; raised Turkey and Honey Bees
Sports- spectator sports
WRITING
Religion- pyramids, temples, palaces
Native People
Historical
Perspective
G1- Movement
Inca
10,000 mile road system; Rope bridges
Cleared, moved
G2-Region
G3- Human/
Environment
Interaction
G4-Location
G5- Place
Economy
Government &
Civics
Culture & Society
Rope bridges
Raised Llama and Alpaca for meat and wool
Cleared, moved, dug: Build Roads
Agriculture: +cotton; terrace farming
Southern most Culture= South America
Mountains; valleys; rivers; cliffs;
Government controlled- socialism
Cuzco- Capital City
Government controlled- socialism;
People did projects for the government;
AMBASSADORS- peaceful negotiations
10,000 mile road system: Rope Bridges
Largest southern empire
Raised Llama and Alpaca for meat and wool
AMBASSADORS- peaceful negotiations
ORGANIZED- planned; stored resources