1.2: Cultures of North America

1.2: Cultures of North America By Christina Messam American History Period 7

Regions of North America

First cultures of North America • The Mound builders, the Anasazi and the Inuit were three early cultures in North America. Many mounds were burial places , but some served as foundations for public buildings . The Anasazi’s made baskets, p0ttery and jewelery.

Meeting basic needs • The early Native American had to work very hard to survive. The women had to work in the field collecting roots, nuts, acorns, berries, and wild seeds. People also grew crops accounting to the weather.

Shared Beliefs • Some native Americans believed that spirits dwelled in nature and that these spirits were part of there daily life . Traditions reflected these beliefs . For example, the Indians of the southeast held the green corn ceremony in late summer .

Far North • The people of the artic lived in a vast and a harsh land, some of it covered with ice all year long. The people survived on fish, shellfish,& birds. They also hunted marine mammals, such as whales, seals, and walruses, from kyaks, small boats made from skins.

Northwest • Native Americans lived in the region of the pacific northwest , the land that stretches from southern Alaska to northern California . Deer and bears roamed forests rich with roots and berries . Rivers swarmed with salmon . With so much food available people here were able to live in large permanent settlements even though they were not farmers.

Far west • Housing differed , depending on the area . Some native Americans lived in pit houses, which were dug into the ground. Others lived in cone shaped houses covered with bark.

Southwest • New Mexico and the southern parts of Utah and Colorado was dry most of the year. But in late July and august , thunderstorms drenched the desert.

The Great Plains • Is a vast region stretching between the Mississippi river and the Rocky Mountains. • It is made up of the Eastern Plains and the Western Plains.

Eastern Plains • The people of the eastern plains lived mainly by farming. Women planted corn , beans, and squash in river valleys. Many people lived in earth lodges . These buildings had log frames and were covered with soil.

Western Great Plains • Too dry to farm and too matted with grass to be framed. In the west people lived in tepees made of animal skins. Hunting parties followed buffalo across the plains

Eastern Woodlands • The earliest woodlands people lived by hunting , fishing , and foraging for nuts and berries . By about A.D. 1ooo , a number of woodlands people had taken up farming. Two groups dominated the eastern woodlands • They lived in longhouses.

Southeast The Southeast was mild but very steamy and hot during the summer; however it was good for farming. The state of Florida is in the Southeast. The Cherokees and Creeks built on wooden frames and straw mats.

1.2: Cultures of North America