The Environment and Texas Indians

An era is a period of time identifiable by particular things, events and/or persons of time.

Gulf Coast Indians The Karankawas Known for their height (6 feet tall) Lived from the area near Galveston south to Corpus Christi Bay. Hunters and gatherers-people who hunt wild animals and gather plants for food. Sea turtles, shellfish, eggs, deer and small animals. Nomads- people who moved from place to place. Used dugout canoes to fish and hunt small animals.

The Coahuiltecans Lived in far southern Texas and northern Mexico, where the climate would not support much farming. Moved with the seasons. Were nomadic Ate bugs and small animals Were not a single unified group. They included many independent groups who lived near each other. Worked very hard for their survival, but held night long celebrations called mitotes Many died from European diseases

Atakapan Territory was from Galveston Island to the Sabine River. Corn was their most important crop hunted small animals and fished in dugout canoes, some farming

Plains Indians Nomadic, fierce warriors and depended on the buffalo

Comanche Lived in what was Western U.S. to Texas in the 1700s. Lived in bands-headed by a peace chief and a war chief. Skilled fighters Became expert horsemen

Used every part of the buffalo, lived in tipis, domesticated animals before horses were introduced to the area by the Europeans Skilled hunters and controlled most of the plains

Apache Two Apache groups, the Lipan Apaches and the Mescalero Apaches settles in Texas. Organized into bands Crops included beans, corn, pumpkins and watermelons.

Men cut their hair short on the left side but allowed the hair on the right side to grow long. Lived in farming communities called rancherias

Kiowas Hunted buffalo and gathered berries, fruits and nuts. Did NOT farm, but traded with neighboring groups. Men wore their hair long, but over cut short over their right ear. Women prepared buffalo hides, sewed clothing and made pemmican.

Puebloan Indians Sedentary farmers who lived in houses made of adobe Adobe- bricks made by drying clay mud in the sun.

Jumano Built permanent homes out of adobe brick. Were sedentary. Grew corn along the Rio Grande, used irrigation. Hunted buffalo Had tattoos and jewelry.

Southeastern Texas sedentary food-rich environment and complex social systems

The Caddo Indians Built permanent dome shaped huts Organized government system led by chiefs

Organized into 3 confederacies Women played an important role-matrilineal society Greeted Europeans with word “Tejas” which means friends

Wichita Located along the Red River in grass huts. Lived mainly along creeks and rivers, where they grew beans, corn, melons, and squash. Used horses to hunt buffalo and deer. Lived in permanent villages.

Wichitas tattooed their bodies. Men tattooed their eyelids and drew short lines at the corner of each eyes. Called themselves ,“Raccoon eyes.”