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.

Nez Perce Native Americans Chief Joseph Plateau Region

Where did the Nez Perce Live? The Nez Perce lived in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho . Plateau Region – High and flat with lakes and rivers

How did the Nez Perce Survive? The people relied on the rivers, mountains and prairies for sustenance.  They move in a seasonal cycle, In early spring, the women traveled to the lower valleys to dig root crops.  The men traveled to the Snake and Columbia rivers to intercept the early salmon runs.  The men still hunted, but much less during the salmon runs. In mid-summer all the people of the village moved to higher mountainous areas setting up temporary camps to gather later root crops, fish the streams, and do more hunting of the big game.  By late fall the people settled back into their traditional villages along the Snake, Clearwater, and Salmon rivers.  Salmon and other fish, game, dried roots and berries provided winter foods for storage.  However, hunting parties would travel to the hills and river bottoms where the deer and elk wintered.

How did the Nez Perce Survive? The basic roots gathered for winter storage included camas bulb (kehmmes), bitterroot (thlee-tahn), khouse (qawas), wild carrot (tsa-weetkh), wild potato (keh-keet), and other root crops.  Fruit collected included service berries, gooseberries, hawthorn berries, thorn berries, huckleberries, currants, elderberries, chokecherries, blackberries, raspberries, and wild strawberries.  Other food gathered includes pine nuts, sunflower seeds, and black moss.

How did the Nez Perce Survive? Large game animals that were hunted include deer, elk, moose, bear (black, brown, and grizzly), mountain sheep and goats.  After the introduction of the horse, the men traveled to the Montana Plains to hunt bison, buffalo and antelope.  Even after bison was introduced ,deer and elk meat were still important foods for the winter storage.  Small game was hunted when needed, include rabbit, squirrel, badgers, and marmot.  Birds  such as ducks, geese, ruffed grouse, and sage hens were also hunted. 

Nez Perce hunt to Survive Land Animals Deer Elk Moose Bears Mountain Sheep Goats Bison Antelope Later on… Buffalo Water Animals Salmon

What did the Nez Perce use for Shelter? Earth House: Dug an underground room Longhouse Pit House http://www.native-languages.org/houses.htm

Long Houses Longhouses were made of bark because women gathered bark in late spring when it was easier to peel. Bark was used to cover the sides and roof of the longhouses. The poles were tied to trees and bent to make a longhouse.

Pit Houses Pit houses were made of wood and grass mats. The circular pit houses were flat and had earthen roofs.

What is the Nez Perce Clothing Like? The men wore long, fringed buckskin shirts, leggings, belts, a breech cloth, and several types of moccasins.  Gloves were also occasionally worn by the men.    In the cold weather, the men wore bison skin robes.  http://www.native-languages.org/breechcloth.htm Women wore long, belted buckskin dresses, corn husk basketry hats, and knee length moccasins.  the dresses were decorated with elk teeth, beads made of shell, bone, and later glass, porcupine quills, and vegetable and mineral dyes.  Both men and women painted their faces for certain ceremonies or occasions

Chief Joseph and Red Dog

How did the Nez Perce Travel? Dugout Canoes – hollowed out trees Dog Sled- Travois Horses

Thinking Question….

Based on how the Nez Perce survive… Based on how the Nez Perce survive….Do you think they had Permanent Villages or did they move to find food?