Native Americans

Native American groups expanded all the way down to Central America Present day Mexico was known as “Mesoamerica” Large Civilizations Maya, Aztec, and Incas (South America) Present day US did not have large civilizations Spread out Diverse lifestyles Native Americans in North America were organized into regions based on where they lived

Native Tribes in the US Communities were often large but most groups were diverse and spread out

Culture Tribal Units Chief or leader Connection with nature Spiritual Multiple “Gods” Men hunted and fished Women tended to the crops and worked in the households No written language Did not believe in division of property Commonality – relationship to land Area of conflict with colonists

Culture Cont. Early societies: diverse, rich, sophisticated Environment Practiced medicine, art, irrigation Plants and animals: eating, dyes, medicines Buffalo Astronomy Crimes, laws, and punishments

The Northeast Iroquois Confederacy Iroquois v Algonquian Aggressive Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas Defense and war Lived on rivers Farming

Southeast Humid, fertile, agriculture region Maize, beans, squash, tobacco 3 sister farming Market villages – known as hamlets Cherokee, Chickasaw, Seminoles, Choctaw, creek 5 Civilized tribes

The Northwest Coast Oceans and rivers Built permanent villages Salmon Fish Built permanent villages Status= closeness to the village’s chief Possessions showed social status Blankets, shells, skins, canoes Athabaskan Haida, Tlingit, Penutain, Chinook, Tsimshian and Coos

The Plateau Small villages by rivers Fishing for salmon and trout Gathered berries, roots, and nuts Columbian exchange brought horses Idaho, Montana, Eastern Oregon and Washington

The Southwest Arizona, New Mexico Parts of Colorado, Utah, and Texas 2 separate lifestyles Sedentary farmers Corn, beans, and sqush Pueblos – stone Hopi, Zuni, and Yuma Nomadic Hunting and gathering Raiding other communities for their crops Hogans – mud and bark Navajo, Apache

The Plains Siouan, Cheyenne, Arapaho Settled Hunters and farmers Later became nomadic Hunters- teepees