Native Americans SS4H1: The students will describe how early native American cultures developed in North America

Native Americans SS4H1 The student will describe how early Native American cultures developed in North America. a. Locate where Native Americans settled with emphasis on the Arctic (Inuit), Northwest (Kwakiutl), Plateau (Nez Perce), Southwest (Hopi), Plains (Pawnee), and Southeast (Seminole). b. Describe how Native Americans used their environment to obtain food, clothing, and shelter. SS4G2 The student will describe how physical systems affect human systems. a. Explain why each of the Native American groups (SS4H1a) occupied the areas they did, with emphasis on why some developed permanent villages and others did not.

Pawnee Native Americans

Where did the Pawnee Live? The Pawnee Indians are original people of Nebraska and Kansas. Flat, rainy and grassy area

How did the Pawnee Survive? The Pawnees were farming people. Pawnee women raised crops of corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers. The men worked together to hunt buffalo and antelopes. Created permanent villages. They hunted part of the year and farmed the other part

How did the Pawnee hunt the buffalo? http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/kids/buffalo.html Tricks to Catch Buffalo: The Plains People had many ways to catch buffalo. In the old days, before the horse, they tricked buffalo into running off cliffs. Another way they tricked buffalo was to have some of the men dress up in buffalo skins and make crying sounds, like lost baby buffalo. When a real buffalo left the herd, and hurried to save what she or he thought was a baby buffalo in trouble, the People would kill the animal with spears and arrows. These ideas worked, but they were not nearly as successful as hunting on horseback.

What were the Pawnee homes like? Most Pawnee Indians lived in settled villages of round earthen lodges. Pawnee lodges were made from wooden frames covered with packed earth. When the Pawnee tribe went on hunting trips, they used buffalo-hide tipis (or teepees) as temporary shelter, similar to camping tents. Here are some pictures of lodges, tipis, and other Indian houses.

Lodge House

What were the Pawnee homes like? A tepee (tipi, teepee) is a Plains Indian home. It is made of buffalo hide fastened around very long wooden poles, designed in a cone shape. Tepees were warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Some were quite large. They could hold 30 or 40 people comfortably. Tepee Poles: The 15-foot poles were sometimes hard to find. Some people became really good at making sturdy poles. They used them for trade. A typical trade would be one horse for five poles. It was up to the women where to place a tepee. The tepee was their castle, and they were in charge of anything to do with it , including building it, erecting it, breaking it down for transports. She was in charge of behavior inside the tepee. If she said, "Go to sleep," everyone had to go to sleep or leave the tepee. She was in charge inside the tepee. It was her tepee. Painted Skins: Men were in charge of the outside of the tepee. It was up to them to bring back the skins necessary to cover the poles. It was up to them to either bring back horses or hides to trade for poles, or to make the poles themselves. The men often painted the outside of the tepee they called home. The painting was often symbolic of their achievements. Each tribe had their own style. Inside the Tepee: There was a small fire in the center for cooking and for warmth when needed. Tepees had an open space at the top, a little off center, to let the smoke out. When it rained or snowed, the men were sent outside to wrap an extra piece of hide around the top of the tepee. The men always left a little room for the smoke to get out. The Plains people used little furniture. They slept on buffalo skins on the floor of their homes.

Tepee

What type of transportation did the Pawnee use? Pawnees used dogs pulling travois (a kind of dog sled) to help them carry their belongings.

What type of tools did the Pawnee use? Pawnee hunters used bows and arrows. In war, Pawnee men fired their bows or fought with war clubs and spears.

Thinking Question….

Based on how the Pawnee survived and lived… Do you think the Pawnee had permanent villages or did they have to move to find food?