1. America’s Modern Indians

2. American Indian Culture Regions

3. American Indian Culture Regions
People who study American Indians divide them into culture regions.
Cultures are grouped according to similar customs or lifestyles. For example, Indians in the plains region all shared a similar lifestyle centered around hunting buffalo.

4. Here Are The Major Culture Regions:
Arctic
Subarctic
Northwest Coast
Plateau
Great Basin
Southwest
California
Great Plains
Eastern Woodlands
Southeast

5. Animal skin shelters and igloos. Hunted walruses, seals, whales.
Arctic and Subarctic
Animal skin shelters and igloos.
Hunted walruses, seals, whales.
Clothing made from animal skins.

6. Northwest indians thrived on sea animals and forest animals.
Northwest Coast
Northwest indians thrived on sea animals and forest animals.
Had houses made of wood planks.
Totem poles.
Held potlatches.

7. Click on the image to see a larger view
Plateau
Hunted deer, elk, rabbit, birds.
Gathered nuts and berries.
Lived in earth houses and lodges.
Wanapum Mat House
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8. Lived in desert environment.
Great Basin
Lived in desert environment.
Hunted rabbits, small game, and gathered roots and berries.
Had few possessions and little clothing.
Lived in brush huts called wicki-ups.
Paiute Wickiup

9. Some lived in cliff-top houses like their ancestors.
Southwest
Some lived in cliff-top houses like their ancestors.
Farmed corn, beans and squash.
Navajos and Apaches were hunters
Navajos lived in Hogans.
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Navajo Hogan
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10. California Indians hunted small game and fished. Wore little clothing.
Acorns were basic source of food.

11. Click this picture to see a larger image.
Great Plains
Lifestyle centered around buffalo hunting.
Migrated following buffalo herds.
Lived in teepees.
Some farmed
After Columbus, Plains Indians adopted horse.
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12. Click this picture to see an enlarged view
Eastern Woodlands
Farmed corn, beans and squash.
Hunted big game such as deer.
Lived in long houses (150 ft. X 20 ft.).
Complex government.
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13. Farmed corn, beans, squash and sunflowers.
Southeast
Farmed corn, beans, squash and sunflowers.
Lived in platform houses with thatched roofs.

14. Long House
Back

15. Teepee

16. Pueblo

17. Wanapum Mat House

18. Navajo Hogan