Native American Lifestyle
Nomadic: Nomadic means to not stay in one place for a long time.
Over time, some larger Native American communities split into smaller ones when food was hard to find, or other resources were running short. Some, not all, Native American tribes, clans, and factions relocated or moved when the land could no longer provide what they needed.
As a result, many tribes explored all over early America in search of the resources that new land could offer and new routes to trade with other tribes.
What did the Native American diet consist of?
Depending on the tribe and the area where they lived, Native Americans got their food through different methods, including farming, hunting, fishing, and gathering. Most tribes used a combination of these ways to get their food, but many specialized in one area, such as farming or hunting. When they needed other resources, some tribes would move to new places.
How good were the Native Americans at farming?
Many American Indian tribes grew crops for food and were expert farmers. Most historians agree, however, the most advanced farmers were in the southeast. Tribes like the Navajo and the Cherokee grew large crop fields there. They employed advanced farming procedures such as irrigation to bring water to dry areas and crop rotation to keep the ground fertile over many years. They would grow enough extra food so they could store it and survive the winter. When the land became overworked due to many years of farming, some tribes would have to move.
What was the importance of corn to the Native American?
The main crop the Native Americans grew was corn, which they called maize. Maize was very popular because it could be stored for the winter, ground into flour, and used in many ways throughout the year. For most tribes, maize was a daily food item and a major part of much of American Indian culture. All parts of the maize plant were used, including the husks for crafts and the cob for fuel in fires.
How good were the Native Americans at hunting?
Native Americans in the Great Plains area of the country relied heavily on buffalo, also called bison, as a resource. They used the buffalo for food and other parts of the animal for other aspects of their lives. For example, they used the bones for tools and the hide for blankets, clothes, and to cover their tepees. They even made rope from bison hair and used the tendons as thread for sewing. When the buffalo moved to find new grazing lands, the tribes moved with them.
Some, not all, Native American tribes were forced to explore to survive. They had to follow the food and find better farm lands.
Today, many Native American people still live all around the United States. Some live on reservations, while others live outside the reservations. A reservation is an area of land set aside specifically for Native American people to live. They are governed by the local Native American government, and each tribe has its own laws, police, and court system. Where are Native American communities located in the United States today?
Unfortunately, much of traditional Native American culture has been lost over the years. But that is slowly changing. The people living on these reservations are helping preserve and renew the Native American way of life. Original arts and crafts are still created on many reservations. The reservations are also places where Native American people preserve areas of their culture, including language, ceremonies, dances, and other traditional customs.
Native American communities taught Columbus, and other early American settlers, many things about early America.
Each tribe felt differently about the explorers who visited and settled in early America. For example, the tribal communities each held different beliefs on how to interact with Columbus and the other explorers that came after him.
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