1. You have 5 mins in your pairs to design a place to live.
It must meet the following criteria:
Large enough to fit up to 12 people
Cool in boiling hot summer
Warm in freezing cold winter
Take less than 15 minutes to dismantle and put back up
Be smaller enough to carry
Use as few resources as possible
Very cheap to build
Last for 10 years

2. Lesson Objectives
To identify the ways in which the Native Americans adapted to the difficulties of living on the Plains
To explain how Native American society was organised – family and government
To reach a supported conclusion as to why the whites may have perceived Indian lifestyle as uncivilised

3. Why was the Tipi so ideal?

4. How was Indian Society organised?
All members had specific roles
As you work through this lesson, try to create a hypothesis to predict how the whites would respond to Indian society and why...

5. Hunted and fought
Head of the household
Could divorce by simply announcing it
Practised polygamy

6. Role of Women on the Plains

7. Made Tipis
Looked after children
Looked after crops
Seen as slaves by many White Settlers

8. Role of Children on the Plains
Taught to work hard – learned skills from a young ages
Unofficial look outs
Boys were taught to ride and use bows and arrows
First hunt was at 14
First period was announced

9. Old People
Story tellers
Left to die when too old to carry on

10. Role of the Chiefs

11. Sat in a huge circle
Smoked a ceremonial pipe to bring wisdom to their discussions
Talked until a decision was made
Had no power on their own to force their will on other people
Offered advice

12. Role of the Councils
A decision could not be made until every man had agreed

13. Warrior Societies

14. Why might the whites have thought the Indians were uncivilised based on their lifestyle?