Gulf Cultural Group of American Indians
P = The Gulf Cultural Group had male chiefs as a form of government. Sometimes there would be one chief
to organize the community and another to take charge during a crisis, like war. The chiefs were selected by
the community according to their proven skills. The chief was the leader of a band of families that had a
group of 20 to 30 people. (Chiefs and Bands)
E = In the spring and summer these bands would migrate into places with rolling hills, scattered trees, and
bushes. They would hunt buffalo that migrated south, deer, and other small game. They gathered roots,
nuts, and fruits. Men did hunting. Women worked to set up the camps, gather firewood, dig roots, and
gather food. In the wintertime, the band would migrate to the seashore. They made dugout canoes to
paddle in rivers and in the sea between the shore and islands. They made temporary shelters made of poles
covered with moss, grass, or skins. These would be easily moved. They gather oysters and other shellfish
and caught fish. When it got colder they would find deeper water in which to fish. In their camps they made
baskets and pottery. They made bows, arrows, cutting and scraping tools, drills, and pottery. They were
semi-nomadic people and never migrated over great distances. The bands that migrated would travel about
25 miles from their winter camps to their summer camps. In their summer areas they would meet people
from other groups and trade to receive goods in other regions. Some bands of this cultural group did not
migrate. They stayed in forest areas near bayous, lagoons, and bays. Some members of their bans would
travel to trade centers to exchange goods and receive news from other Indian groups.
G = The groups that migrated went to places with wild food vegetation like fruit and nut trees, berry
bushes. The summer area also had small game animals, deer, and sometimes buffalo. They used branches
from trees to bend into poles to make huts covered with brush or animal skins. Logs were scraped out to
make dugout canoes to travel in rivers, springs, and along shallow coastal waters. Some bands stayed year
round in areas that received a lot of rain. They would set up semi-permanent camps near bays or in bayous.
S = Groups of families, 20-30 people made up most bands. Men dominated the decision-making and
women did most of the work. The people used tattoos for body decoration. Education, ceremonies, and
celebrations were carried on within the band of families. Most religious ceremonies centered on the powers
of nature. Bands that shared the same culture would sometimes meet to help out when there were dangers.
Plains Cultural Group
P = The Plains Cultural Group had no national or large tribal forms of governments. Bands that had different
groups of families characterized this cultural group. Each band that had different groups of families
characterized this cultural group. Each band had a chief that was chosen based upon skills, experience, and
wisdom. Leadership was based on the consent of the governed. Some bands had a council of leaders that
made decisions. Other bands had a peace chief and a war chief. The bands would discuss political and
government issues together. Males tended to participate more in the politics. Everyone had freedom to
express their ideas. Consensus-making, common agreement of all, was commonly used. Bands sometimes
would meet together and cooperate together for defense and common celebrations.
E = The Plains Cultural Group were bands of families. Many of the bands were dependent on the buffalo for
food. They migrated with the buffalo across open grasslands and hills, camping near rivers, springs, or
waterholes. The men hunted and the women prepared the food and set up and managed the camps. Every
part of the buffalo was used for food, shelter, clothing, and tools. Deer and other famer were also hunted.
Trade with other bands and cultural groups were common. Teepees, constructed from long wooden poles
and buffalo hides, were the common shelters.
G = Buffalo herds roamed in the grasslands and open prairies. They sometimes migrated into warmer areas
that had rolling hills and grass for grazing. The people of the Plains Cultural Group were nomads and
followed the buffalo as their main food source. They learned to find the water sources. Trees would grow
along rivers and streams. Springs and water holes, in addition to rivers, creeks, and streams, became
important places on the migration journey. Plateaus and escarpments extended along large areas of the
region.
S = The nomadic bands had families that were divided into clans. People had to marry someone from a
different clan. In some bands the men owned the property. In other bands women owned property and
possessions. The women could divorce and retain control of the children. Women’s roles were to take care
of the possessions, care for the camp and supplies, and take care of the children. Men hunted and were
involved in most of the politics. Religion centered on the Great Spirit and Great Mother Earth. Other powers
of nature were also important. Dances were common for religious celebrations and also for communal
celebrations. Spiritual leaders and elders of the community were responsible for education. Bands that
shared the same culture and language would join together for celebrations and defense.
Puebloan Cultural Group of American Indians
P = The Puebloan Cultural Group is characterized by communities that established permanent settlements.
In some communities men owned the property and possessions were passed down through the men. Many
other communities, though, were matrilineal-the women owned the property and possessions and control
of property was passed down from mother to daughters. The main leaders of the community were the
religious leaders- the priests were also the political leaders. One of more kivas, rooms built underground,
were the centers of rituals.
E = The Spanish word, “pueblo,” means town. The Pueblo Cultures was based on agriculture. Communities
were sedentary, staying in one place. The main crops were corn, beans, and squash. As an agricultural
community, many of their tasks involved building and repairing their buildings, making tools and pottery,
controlling their water supply, and using irrigation systems. They wove skirts, shirts, robes, and blankets
and colorfully decorated them. In good years, most communities had a surplus of agricultural products. So,
trade became an important economic activity. Agricultural goods and woven goods were items traded.
Some pueblos were trade centers that drew people from other cultural groups. There was some hunting of
deer and small game and gathering of the tunas of cacti.
G = Many pueblos were built next to rivers or near rivers. The river valley provided water for use by the
community and water for irrigating fields of crops. The summers were very hot and dry. Natural vegetation
was mainly brush, cacti, and some mesquite trees. Mountains were nearby. Since there were few trees, mud
was used to buid adobe buildings. Bricks were made from mud and grass and baked in the sun. the bricks
were stacked and covered with mud plaster. Wooden beams were used to support roofs and floors in the
buildings with several stories. Some houses were pit houses with flat roofs. These were dug into the group
and a flat roof with and entrance on the roof.
S = Religious leaders were in charge of the government. Religious ceremonies were used as community
celebrations and as feast days to guide the people in what work was needed- time for clearing, time for
planting, time for harvesting. Both men and women worked in agriculture. Men did some hunting. Men
wove cloth and women made pottery. Communities were both patrilineal and matrilineal. In communities
that were matrilineal, women had a lot of influence because the property belonged to them. Underground
rooms, called kivas, were built and used for sacred ceremonies. Religious beliefs centered on the powers of
nature.
Southeastern Cultural Group
P = The southeastern Cultural group consisted of tribes that had many different bands of clans that lived
together in the same location. They had large villages with permanent buildings. The clans and families
were matrilineal. Each tribe had a council of warriors and elders that selected a lame to be the main chief
and leader. Other men were chosen to organize and manage different parts of the government and the
religion- work, trade, construction; religious practices and celebrations. Members shared the work and
contributed to meeting the needs of the community. Work had to be organized because the tribe had a
large population. Tribes voluntarily joined other tribes to make a confederation. A chief for the
confederation was selected and he acted as the main chief. A tribe was never forced to be part of a
confederation.
E = These communities were sedentary and dependent on agricultural economic activities. Their main crops
were corn, beans and squash. They also gathered fruit, berries, and nuts form the forest. Men made very
fine tools that were in great demand. Their bows were made from very strong wood and people from other
cultural groups wanted their tools. Trade became a very important activity. Animals like deer, rabbits, and
other small game were hunted. The women did the farming and took care of the household chores. Men did
the hunting. Cloth was woven from cotton and other fibers. Furniture, chairs, tables, and beds were made
from wood and leather. Grass and split cane mats were woven together for flooring and siding to the
houses.
G = These people lived in forest areas that had streams, creeks, rivers, and fresh springs. Forests had a lot of
pine trees, hardwood trees, and nut trees. Many different animals lived in the forests and were hunted for
game, especially the deer. Abundant rainfall and good land for vegetation made faming ideal. People lived
and worked together. They had to cooperate because it took a lot of food to feed a large community or
tribe. They built permanent homes and buildings. They used wooden poles and wooden frames to construct
walls that were covered with grass and split cane mats. They used wood to make furniture for their houses.
A typical house could hold more than one family.
S = Families that were related lived together in large houses. Because of the large population, communities
used a division of labor. Many hobs had to be organized and managed by leaders. Religion centered on the
sky and earth and other forces of nature. Tribes were separated into matrilineal clans. The women
organized the property and possessions. Men could only marry someone from another clan. When he
married his children became part of their mother’s clan. The people built large buildings and large mounds.
The mounds were used for ceremonies and also as burial places for great leaders.