US History

U.S. History Study Guide

©2018 of 194 1.4 Great Basin Culture Area The Great Basin tribes lived on huge desert terrains where the environment was harsh which forced these tribes to become gatherers who foraged for anything edible. They traveled in small family groups, with little tribal identity and few communities established. The major tribes of peoples were Paiute, Ute and Shoshoni. 1.5 Plateau Culture Area Rivers offered a great food supply for the Plateau tribes and fish was the dietary staple. These large rivers also provided ways of travel and trade. More than two dozen distinct tribal groups lived among the Plateau tribes. Villages, usually located along river banks, became the main political units, with headmen as leaders. Some of the most well-known tribes of the area are the Chinook, Nez Perce, Flathead, and Spokane. 1.6 Tribes of the Southwest The dry climate of this area made it very difficult to cultivate crops and many tribes became nomads or raiders, while others tried their best to farm the lands. Most notable tribes of this area were the Pueblo peoples such as the Hopi and Zuni who were agrarian and the Apaches who were nomads, as well as the Navajos who lived more of a pastoral life. 1.7 Tribes of the Great Plains Unlike most native cultures, the Great Plains tribes were actually fueled by the incoming of the Europeans. With the addition of horses to the Americas in the Columbian Exchange, the Great Plains culture became extremely renowned for their horsemanship and became excellent hunters. Customs blended into what is sometimes referred to as the Composite Plains Tribe, shaped by the horse and buffalo culture. Some of the most well-known tribes of the area: Sioux, Pawnee, Blackfoot, Crow, Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. 1.8 Tribes of the Southeast The majority of Native Americans in the Southeast made their homes along river valleys. The European settler would refer to these tribes as the Five Civilized Tribes due to their codes of law and judicial systems, as well as their readiness to accept European traditions, although they were still persecuted. The most famous example is the Trail of Tears. The larger tribes of the area include the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole. Achieve Page 15