Unit 1 Chapter 2 Content Notes
The Great Council was made up of 50 representatives of the Iroquois league to make decisions for all tribes. Chosen
by older women of the tribes!
The Iroquois lived in the Eastern Woodlands which provided fresh water for drinking & fishing, timber for shelters & canoes, and fertile land for farming.
The Iroquois called themselves 'People of the Longhouse' for
the dwellings in which they lived which could house up to
12 families and be as long as
half a football field.
The Iroquois showed respect for nature. They would give thanks for their prey before eating it and give thanks for crops.
Wampum belts were gifts for honor of occasions such as marriages or in sympathy of death for example.
Wampum was considered a symbol of wealth.
The Great Plains Cultural Region was characterized by wild grasses and few trees. This was the land where the buffalo roamed.
The Sioux tribe was among the first to live in this area. They were followed later by Cheyenne.
Most tribes settled in this dry land around rivers to help them
in farming. Their chief crops were corn, beans, pumpkins, and squash.
Tribes in this region also hunted buffalo for their fur & hides
in addition to meat.
They lived in lodges which were round huts built of wood & mud
over a deep hole.
While on hunts, they lived in tepees which were mobile and could be set up easily.
They used dogs to drag a travois which held up to 75 lbs of the dead buffalo.
Later, the Cheyenne tamed wild horses to use in hunts and to move their belongings. Guns were also used in hunts. Horses were later used to measure wealth.
These tribes gathered for powwows which feature dances and games.
The Southwest Desert Cultural Region’s northern border was right around the four corners.
These Pueblo Indians lived in villages and are thought to be descended from the Anasazi. Their housing was much like the apartment style of the Anasazi.
Like the Anasazi, they farmed and used irrigation in this dry arid area.
Tribes of this region included the Hopi, Apache, and Navajo among others.
Some ceremonies in this area honored Kachinas, beings thought to be able to bring rain.
Snake dances were also performed in order to bring rain. Dancers danced with rattlesnakes in their mouths, then when they were released, they slithered away mimicking rain streaming on the ground.
The Hopi, a tribe in this area, had men governing their villages, but the women owned all the land. Men & women shared in cultural chores/crafts.
The tribes of the Northwest Coastal Cultural Region lived, mostly, off of the sea. They hunted seals, sea otters, and whales.
These sea animals provided food, furs, and oils for lamps & heating.
This culture displayed wealth and generosity as the description of the potlatch showed. Hosts gave many gifts to their guests in parties that lasted over a week.
The abundant wood, especially Cedar, was used for building their homes, totem poles, and canoes.
Some tribes in this area became master wood carvers, carving totem poles, some twice as tall as Ferry.
The totem pole was a sign of wealth. and had animals or other images carved into it that represented their ancestors.
The shaman was like a present day doctor.
Shamans performed elaborate dancing ceremonies with special effects in carved masks that could change appearances if panels were open or closed.