Quick Comparison of Native Americans – With Answers

Tip:

·        If you are looking for a specific tribe, press Ctrl-F (for Find) and then enter the first letters of its name to search for it.

·        The Traits column lists examples of their characteristics. In this class, you do not need to know all traits, but some.

·        If you do not know some of the words in that column, click here for Merriam-Webster Online or copy this URL: https://www.merriam-webster.com/

·        To help you, some words are identified as (Key word). Make sure you know those words.
If you cannot find a word or need help understanding it or any other word, please ask.

North America

Native Americans consist of over 200 native groups. They speaking many different languages.

 Region

Time

Major Examples

Traits

Northwest

Pre-1500 and beyond

Pacific tribes (Key word)

Food abundant

Concentrated population

Totems

Trade and ocean-going

Hierarchical (Key word) tribes ranging from slaves to free people to chiefs

Midwest, Great Plains

Pre-1500 and beyond

 

Cheyenne, Sioux, and other tribes

Nomadic, with a traditional term for this being hunter-gathers Buffalo hunters

Religious rituals around hunting

Mideast, Mississippi area

950-1250

Cahokia and other tribes

Mound builders

Trade network

Farming

Temples and government buildings

Human sacrifice

Southwest

Declining end of 13th century

Anasazi in the early period and the Pueblo Indians

Corn

Not hierarchical (Key word)

Not militaristic

Pueblos (Key word for a way to build)

Pueblo Indians After the Spanish come in 1598, they will be invaded and resist and are punished brutally by having a foot removed. In the 1680s, the Indians rebel in Popé’s Rebellion and keep the Spanish out for about 50 years.

Southeast, Atlantic coast called the Eastern Woodlands

Pre-1500 and beyond

Algonquians, Iroquois, and Muskogees

Fishing

Hunting

Farming

Warfare – including to gain slaves

Canoes

Villages and some moved with seasons

3 major tribes and also the 3 major languages in the region:

1.      Algonquian – patriarchal (Key word)
After the Europeans come, will become allies of the French

2.      Iroquoian - matrilineal (Key word) and in a confederation (Key word both with them and the initial American government )
After the Europeans come, will hold a balance of power with French and English by committing to neither, but later (toward the end of Unit 1), join with the British.

3.      Muskogean - matrilineal

 

 

Middle America and South America

Region

Time

Name

Traits

Middle America

300-900 AD

Mayan Empire (Key word)

Pyramids

Numerals

Calendar

Astronomy

Cities

Centralized government (Key word)/empire (Key word)

Middle America

1300-1521 AD

Aztec Empire  (Key word)

Human sacrifices

Militaristic

Have serfs (by conquering neighboring areas)

Cities/roads

Centralized government (Key word)/empire (Key word)

When the Spanish come, trying to tighten control of their empire

South America

1000-1531 AD

Inca Empire (Key word)

6 Million people

Cities/roads

Irrigation/terrace farming

Centralized government (Key word)/empire (Key word)

When the Spanish come, dealing with a civil war (Key word)

 

 

Copyright C. J. Bibus, Ed.D. 2021

 

WCJC Department:

History – Dr. Bibus

Contact Information:

281.239.1577 or bibusc@wcjc.edu

Last Updated:

2021

WCJC Home:

http://www.wcjc.edu/