8th Grade
Chapter 5 Study Guide
Lesson 1:
1. archaeologist 2. midden –
3. nomad –
4. atlatl –
5. mound –
6. artifact –
7. agriculture –
8. temple mound –
9. Paleo Indians –
10. Meso Indians –
Name _________________
Date __________________
11. What are some of the artifacts left behind by the Meso Indians?
12.Early Neo Indians –
13. Late Neo Indians –
14. What places give clues about the lives of the ancient people?
15. Why was the development of the bow and arrow so important?
16, What was the purpose of the temple mounds?
Chapter 5
Lesson 2
1. immunity
2. tribe
3. treaty
4. totem
5. clan
6. What is considered the beginning of the historic period?
7 . Who was the first European to travel through Louisiana?
8. Why was the Native American population decreased by 80 % from the
time of Spanish exploration and French exploration?
9. As students present their projects you will write down key information
about their tribes. You will be responsible for the language, traditions,
location, food and shelter for each one.
Atakapa
Natchez
Caddo
Choctaw
Houma
Tunica-Biloxi
Chitimacha
Coushatta
Chapter 5
Lesson 3
1. Pirougue
2. Calumet
3. How was membership into the class system achieved in most Native
cultures?
4. How did child play prepare children for adult roles?
5. How do the games played by Native Americans compare to games
today?
6. How did the clothing reflect their natural environment?
Women –
Men –
Children –
7. What type of work did the men do together?
8. What were the main foods for most of Louisiana Indians?
9. Preserving ___________________ and _________________ was the
purpose of religious ceremonies.
10. Name the ceremonial traditions of most Native American tribes.
11. What was the role of the war chief?
12. What was the role of the peace chief?
13. What were the reasons for going to war?
14. How did contact with Europeans change the lives of the Indians
forever?
8th Grade
Chapter 5 Study Guide
Name _________________
Date __________________
Lesson 1:
1.archaeologist – a scientist
who studies the items left
behind by ancient
peoples to determine how
they lived
2. midden – garbage mound
left by prehistoric people
3. nomad – a wanderer; a
person with no settled home
4. atlatl – a throwing stick
with weights used by
prehistoric people to throw
spears with more force
for farther distances
5. mound – a raised area
created by prehistoric
peoples and thought to be
Used for ceremonial or
burial purposes
6. artifact – an item left
behind ancient peoples
stone, bone, pottery, tools
cave paintings,
weavings, skeletons, items
buried with people, and
trash
7. agriculture – farming
8. temple mound – a mound
built by prehistoric Indians
and used for
religious purposes
9. Paleo Indians – oldest
known Indians in Louisiana
date back to 10,000
B.C. crossed beringia
followed animals for food
and clothing. They
ate a variety of plants and
animals including
mastodans. Spear points
are found throughout
Louisiana
10. Meso Indians – 7500
B.C. ate animals such as
deer, rabbit, birds, fish,
clams, reptiles, seeds,
roots, nuts, and fruits still
nomadic but stayed
in a place longer. They
built houses of branches
and thatch. They built
mounds.
11. What are some of the
artifacts left behind by the
Meso Indians?
Artifacts included bowls,
jewelry, baskets, harpoons,
bone needles,
fish hooks, and shell
ornaments
12.Early Neo Indians – 1000
B.C. built villages for
seasonal living,
developed the bow and
arrow, diet was grapes,
palmetto, pigweed,
amaranth, fish, deer, and
shellfish. They had elaborate
ornaments,
copper ear spools,
bracelets, beads, animal
tooth pendants, pottery
pipes and figurines.
13. Late Neo Indians – 800
A.D. to 1500’s built villages
near waterways,
More permanent housing
made of wattle and daub
(sticks covered with mud)
They lived in one place
year round, they became
farmers
They ate beans, corn,
squash, and pumpkins.
They built temples on
top of their mounds
14. What places give clues
about the lives of the ancient
people?
Where they prepared food,
made tools, built shelters,
and conducted
ceremonies
15. Why was the
development of the bow and
arrow so important?
It made hunting easier
16. What was the purpose
of the temple mounds?
It is where religious
ceremonies were held
Chapter 5
Lesson 2
1. immunity natural
resistance to disease
2. tribe a group of people
who share common
ancestry, language, name,
and a way of living
3. treaty a formal agreement
between two or more nations
4. totem a tribal symbol; an
animal, plant, or natural
object serving as a
symbol of a clan or family
5. clan a group of people
who believe themselves
related by blood
6. What is considered the
beginning of the historic
period?
When the Europeans
came to America and began
keeping records
7 . Who was the first
European to travel through
Louisiana?
Hernando deSoto
8. Why was the Native
American population
decreased by 80 % from the
time of Spanish exploration
and French exploration?
Diseases such as
influenza, measles,
smallpox, and cholera
9. As students present their
projects you will write down
key information about their
tribes. You will be
responsible for the language,
traditions, location, food and
shelter for each one.
Atakapa – Southwest Prairie
Region, they practiced
cannibalism on
defeated enemies.
Atakapa language, they
played chunkey and
stickball, men were
hunters and warriors
Storytelling and traditional
medicine, houses were
brush shelters (grass and
reeds around a wooden
frame) Men wore breech
cloths, women wore wrap
around skirts of deerskin
or woven fiber, they wore
moccasins. The men wore
hair in mohawks and used
porcupine hair roaches.
Both men and women had
tribal tattoos. They used
dogs as pack animals,
they built canoes, They ate
fish, oysters, shrimp, crab,
deer, buffalo, alligator,
fruits, nuts, and honey.
They made bows and
arrows and pottery from
red clay.
Natchez – northeastern
Mississippi Floodplain
regions ruled by a king. The
Natchez king was called
the Great Sun Great Sun
usually had to listen to the
opinions of a council of
warriors, priests, and other
important Natchez men
They spoke their native
Natchez language
Natchez children liked to
go hunting and fishing with
their fathers they had corn
husk dolls, toys and
games to play. Teenage
boys played a spearthrowing game called
chunkey. Natchez
mothers, like many Native
Americans, traditionally
carried their babies in
cradleboards on their
backs. Men were higherranking than women, held
leadership positions, were
in charge of the
household, and even got
to eat first. However, both
genders took part in
storytelling, artwork and
music, and traditional
medicine.
They had adobe houses
with thatched roofs
Natchez men wore
breechcloths and leather
leggings. Natchez women
wore wraparound skirts
made of deerskin or
woven fiber
The Great Sun wore a
fancy feathered crown, but
other Natchez men usually
went bare-headed. Some
Natchez warriors shaved
their heads except for a
scalplock (one lock of hair
on top of their heads.)
Women usually wore their
hair in one long braid
Natchez men and women
both painted their faces for
special occasions and also
decorated their bodies with
complex tribal tattoos. The
Natchez were farming
people. They raised crops
of corn, beans, pumpkins,
and squash. Natchez men
also hunted deer, wild
turkeys, and buffalo and
went fishing in the rivers.
Natchez recipes included
cornbread, hominy, and
soups. Natchez hunters
used bows and arrows or
spears. Fishermen used
fishing harpoons and nets.
Farmers used hoes carved
from hickory wood. In war,
Natchez men fired their
bows or fought with
tomahawks and war clubs.
They were known for their
pottery, baskets, and
woodcarvings.
Caddo Northwestern or Hills
region of the state Caddo
band was led by a
chief chosen by a council
of warriors. Historically, all
these chiefs were male.
Today speak their native
Caddo language kids
tried to throw a dart
through a moving hoop
Caddo men were hunters
and sometimes went to
war to protect their
families. Caddo women
were farmers and also did
most of the child care and
cooking built tall beehiveshaped grass houses
Caddo village also
included a temple and a
sports field. Sometimes
villages were surrounded
by log walls for protection
Caddo Indian men wore
breechcloths, sometimes
with leather leggings to
protect their legs. Caddo
women wore wraparound
skirts and poncho tops
made of woven fiber and
deerskin. Both genders
wore earrings and
moccasins. Caddo men
did not usually wear shirts,
but in cold weather, both
men and women wore
buffalo robes.
Caddo men usually cut
their hair in the Mohawk
style or shaved their heads
except for a scalplock
(one long lock of hair on
top of their heads.)
Sometimes warriors would
make this hairstyle more
impressive with a colorful
porcupine roach. Caddo
Indian women usually
wore their long hair in a
bun. For special
occasions, Caddo women
fastened their buns with
beaded hair ornaments
and long trailing ribbons .
The Caddos also wore
tribal tattoos, and women
painted their faces and
bodies bright colors for
special occasions. dugout
canoes from hollowed-out
logs, but usually they
preferred to travel by land
The Caddo Indians were
farming people. Caddo
women harvested crops of
corn, beans, pumpkins,
and sunflowers. Caddo
men hunted for deer,
buffalo, and small game
and went fishing in the
rivers. Traditional Caddo
foods included cornbread,
soups, and stews. The
Caddo Indians also mined
salt from underground
mines, which they boiled
down to use in their
cooking. Caddo hunters
primarily used bows and
arrows. Caddo fishermen
caught fish and shellfish in
basket traps. Caddo
warriors fired their bows or
fought with lances or
tomahawks. Farmers used
tools such as hoes and
spades, which they made
from wood, carved bone,
and mussel shells. The
Caddos also made axes
with heavy stone heads for
chopping wood. They
made pottery, basketry,
woodcarvings. They held
pow-wows where they
danced and played drums.
There are many legends
and they enjoyed story
telling. They held
elaborate religious rituals
Choctaw Located in the
Southeast or in the
Flatwoods or Blufflands
Regions They spoke
Choctaw language They
played Toli a lacrosse
stick like game Choctaw
girls enjoyed guessing
games and playing with
beaded dolls. Chunkey,
football, swimming, and
footraces were also
popular pastimes among
Choctaw kids. Choctaw
mothers, like many Native
Americans, carried their
babies in cradleboards on
their backs
Choctaw men were
hunters and sometimes
went to war to protect their
families. Chiefs were
always men. Choctaw
women were farmers and
also did most of the child
care and cooking. Both
genders took part in
storytelling, artwork and
music, and traditional
medicine Choctaw homes
were made of plaster and
rivercane walls, with
thatched roofs. These
dwellings were about as
strong and warm as log
cabins The villages were
surrounded with palisades
Choctaw men wore
breechcloths. Choctaw
women wore wraparound
skirts made of deerskin or
woven fiber Choctaw men
and women both wore
their hair long, but some
men cut their hair in the
Mohawk style, decorating
the fringe with feathers.
Choctaws often painted
their faces and bodies
bright colors during
battles, lacrosse games,
and festivals. Some
Choctaw men also wore
tribal tattoos on their arms
and legs. The Choctaw
were farming people.
Choctaw women did most
of the farming, harvesting
crops of corn, beans,
squash, and sunflowers.
Choctaw men did most of
the hunting, shooting deer,
wild turkeys, and small
game. Men also caught
fish in the rivers, lakes,
and sea coasts. Choctaw
recipes included
cornbread, soups, and
stews cooked on stone
hearths. The Choctaws
also enjoyed sassafrass
tea Choctaw hunters
primarily used bows and
arrows. Fishermen
generally used fishing
spears and nets. In war,
Choctaw men fired their
bows or fought with
tomahawks and clubs. The
Choctaws were famous for
their rivercane baskets,
woodcarvings, and beaded
artwork.
Houma lived in south central
Louisiana or the Mississippi
Flood Plain fresh and
salt water marshes. Spoke
Choctaw language. They
lived in Palmetto houses.
Palmetto leaves were
lashed onto a sapling
frame. Woven in and out
to create a water proof
shelter. Still used by
trappers today. They were
a sedentary tribe with a
rich culture that included
dancing, crafts and a welldeveloped religion.
Historically the Houma
Indians were a tribe of
farmers and hunters. The
women tended the tribe's
communal fields and grew
crops like corn, pumpkin
and beans, while the men
hunted deer and small
game with blow guns,
bows and arrows, and
spears. The Houma
Indians used dugout
pirogues to traverse the
many bayous that cut
through their territories.
The pirogues were made
from large, felled cypress
trees prevalent in the area.
Town centers of the
Houma Indians included
large ball courts and a
temple where the bones of
revered chiefs burned in a
sacred fire. Houma Indians
allowed for both male and
female chiefs. The
crawfish is the totem and
represents kinship and
protection another totem is
the Istrouma a tall red stick
that marked the hunting
grounds of the tribes. The
French called this Baton
Rouge Houma men and
women both wore their
hair long. The Houmas
often painted their faces
and bodies bright colors
during battles, lacrosse
games, and festivals.
Tunica-Biloxi located in
east-central Louisiana or the
Mississippi
Floodplain regions They
were traders of salt, arrow
points, flint, horses, shell
beads, pearls, and quartz.
They were farmers and
fishermen. They had war
chief and a peace chief.
Their totem symbol is the
rattlesnake. They lived in
villages of thatched
houses surrounded by
palisades. They were
farmers and gatherers.
They planted corn, beans,
and pumkins, they used
salt to season their foods
which included cornbread,
hominy, soups, and
persimmon bread Tunica
men also hunted deer, wild
turkey, and buffalo, and
women collected fruits,
nuts, and mushrooms to
use in their cooking Tunica
hunters primarily used
bows and arrows. In war,
Tunica men fired their
bows or fought with war
clubs and knives. The
Tunicas were known for
their pottery, baskets, and
woodcarvings. They also
made textiles from
mulberry bark, which they
used to weave clothing
and blankets. Both men
and women usually wore
their hair long. The
Tunicas didn't usually paint
their faces, but they did
decorate their bodies with
tribal tattoos
Chitimacha South-central
Louisiana Freshwater marsh
regions celebrated
every aspects of life with
ceremony and dance with
drum beating. Chitimacha
had no form of writing,
story tellers repeated the
legends and history orally,
thereby preserving an
integral part of Chitimacha
culture. Chitimacha
Indians spoke their own
Chitimacha language
Most Chitimacha chiefs
and religious leaders were
men, but there were some
women who held those
positions too. Each of
the15 villages was selfgoverning, but there was
also a central government
led by a grand chief. The
communities were built in
the middle of rivers and
swamps, as protection
against enemies. There
were as many as 500
people in each village.
They lived in a variety of
different styles of
permanent homes,
depending on the
materials close at hand,
such as cane, wood and
palmetto leaves.
The Chitimacha grew corn
for hominy and meal. They
also hunted and fished,
and a large part of their
dietary needs was filled by
the abundant variety of
shellfish. They killed
smaller animals with
blowguns and darts made
from pieces of whittled
cane. They also ate bear
The Chitimacha have long
been known for their
crafts, especially basketry.
These baskets were
created out of wild cane
reed colored with natural
dye and then woven into
geometric designs
Coushatta piney woods of
Southwest Louisiana The
Coushatta were
traditionally
agriculturalists, growing
maize and other food
crops, and supplementing
their diet by hunting game.
They are known for their
skill at longleaf pine
needle basketry They also
made animal dolls out of
pine needles and palm
trees The land is used for
Coushatta-constructed
tribal housing, rice and
crawfish farming and
development of a new
cattle raising spoken
language, Koasati. they
lived in Indian style houses
in large villages They built
huge temple mounds of
dirt. These were like
pyramids. On top they
would place a temple or
the house of a priest or
chief lived in squareshaped villages of houses
and small farm plots. The
houses had plaster and
rivercane walls with
thatched roofs. These
dwellings were about as
strong and warm as a log
cabin. They also built a
larger circular lodge for
town meetings, and most
villages had a lacrosse
field with benches for
spectators.
Chapter 5
Lesson 3
1, Pirougue - a dugout
made by Native Americans
and the French;
cypress logs were partially
burned and the burned
section scraped out
2. Calumet – a peace pipe
usually made of clay or
hollow cane and
decorated with feathers
and other significant items
3. How was membership
into the class system
achieved in most Native
cultures?
Membership in clans were
passed through the
mother’s side of the family
4. How did child play
prepare children for adult
roles?
Their play imitated adult
work, they learned gender
roles and skills
needed as adults
5. How do the games played
by Native Americans
compare to games today?
Chunky was like football or
soccer and by using goals
and it also like
baseball because one
player hit the ball with a pole.
They also had
archery, wrestling, and
racing.
6. How did the clothing
reflect their natural
environment?
Women – wore simple skirts
made of mulberry bark,
buffalo wool, woven
palmetto leaves, Spanish
moss, or buckskin
Men – breechcloths made of
buckskin held with a belt
made of fur, fiber, or
buckskin. They also wore
buckskin leggings in cold
weather
Children – dressed simply,
summers they did not wear
clothing at all
They all wore moccasins
for footwear from deer, bear,
or bison.
On special occasions, both
men and women wore a
cape made of woven net
and covered in turkey,
duck, or swan feathers
7. What type of work did the
men do together?
They cleared land,
construct houses, and build
boats
8. What were the main foods
for most of Louisiana
Indians?
Acorns, hickory nuts,
mayhaw, blackberry, sweet
potato, sunflower,
amaranth, corn, beans,
squash, deer, bison, bear,
fish, oysters,
shrimp,and crab
9. Preserving _balance
____ and ___harmony____
was the purpose of religious
ceremonies.
10. Name the ceremonial
traditions of most Native
American tribes.
Honoring the Sun,
dancing, music, story telling,
sacrificing of children
11. What was the role of the
war chief?
He was the military leader,
decided when to go to war,
12. What was the role of the
peace chief?
He was in charge of
normal day to day activities
in the tribe. He acted
as the judge in criminal
cases
13. What were the reasons
for going to war?
When they felt threatened
by their neighbors or to
acquire captives
14. How did contact with
Europeans change the lives
of the Indians forever?
They changed from a
hunting and agriculture
society to one that
depended on trade, they
were expected to serve as
soldiers or
slaves, the diseases that
the Europeans brought
destroyed many of
them.