The Plains Indians: their beliefs and way of life

If you were standing in the picture what might you see hear smell?

BBC - Learning Zone Class Clips - An outsider's view of the Oglala people - History VideoBBC - Learning Zone Class Clips - An outsider's view of the Oglala people - History Video 2 BBC - Learning Zone Class Clips - Francis Parkman travels to meet the Plains Indians - History VideoBBC - Learning Zone Class Clips - Francis Parkman travels to meet the Plains Indians - History Video 1 Watch the following clips of film carefully and collect information about the way of life of the American Indian

The Values of the Indians – what do the following mean and how Might they dictate how the American Indians live? Mother Earth – the sacred earth Everything goes round in a circle such as the life of a man All things are the work of the Great Spirit who can be found in everything – Wankan Tonka Trees talk to each other Men’s hearts away from nature makes them hard The power of the dream When a man shuts his eyes he sees a great deal Men who dream cannot work Vision comes in dreams The tipi is much better to live in If the Great Spirit wanted men to stay in one place he would have made the world stay in one place The best part of a man’s life is between 18 and 33 Give a piece of meat in your mouth to a visitor If I cut the ground my Mother will not take me back when I die If I cut the grass I cut off my mother’s hair Our land is more valuable than your money We cannot sell the land because it does not belong to us The resting places where the ashes of our ancestors lie are sacred Our dead never forget the beautiful world which give them life

Task To enable you to understand the features of the lives and culture of the Plans Indians, you are going to produce a booklet or poster explaining the following. Tipis Women Horses Scalping Medicine Man Men Counting Coupe Children Buffalo & Hunt Spirit World Nature Widows and the elderly Polygamy The Sioux Nation The land

Task Indians believed in the sanctity of all living things. If this is the case how can the events in the following sources (D & E) be explained ?

Source D H.A.Boller A squaw with three small children was also left. She carried one on her Back and another in her arms, while the eldest trotted along by her side. Some time after, a young Indian who had loitered behind came up and reported that the squaw had just killed the youngest because it was too Small to travel. Source E George Catlin When we were about to start on our way from the village, my attention Was directed to a very aged and emaciated man, who was to be left to Starve. “Mt children”, said he, it is necessary that you should all go to The country where you can get meat. My strength is no more, my days Are nearly numbered, and I am a burden to my children. I cannot go and Wish to die.’ This cruel custom of leaving their aged people to die belongs to all the Tribes who roam the plains, making severe marches, when such old people Are totally unable to ride or walk.

Task Using the information from your poster/booklet, answer the following question in no fewer than 250 words. Why might the white Americans have see the Plains Indians as savages?