Name: ______
Native Americans
To what extent do Native American cultures vary?
Main Idea: ______
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What causes differences in Native American cultures?
Complete the chart below
Group / Location / Food / HomesWrite a paragraph summarizing the main conclusion of your chart.
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tepeelong house
pueblo
How does each dwelling reflect the local environment? ______
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“The Iroquois Confederacy”
From The American Nation
Among the many Native American groups in the Eastern Woodlands were the Iroquois people. They lived mostly in present day New York state.
The Iroquois called themselves “The People of the Long House.” They took great pride in their sturdy dwellings, called long houses. A typical long house was about 150 feet long and 20 feet wide. Twelve or more families lived in a long house.
Women had a special place in Iroquoian society. They owned all the household property and were in charge of planting and harvesting. When a man married, he moved in with his wife’s family.
Women also had political power. They chose clan leaders. A clan was a group of two or more related families. If a clan leader did not do his job well, the women could remove him from this position.
The Iroquois included five nations that spoke similar languages: the Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga, Oneida and Cayuga. Each nation had its own ruling council. Until the late 1500s, the five nations were frequently at war.
Then around 1570, the five Iroquois nations formed an alliance to end the fighting. According to legend, a religious leader named Dekanawida inspired Hiawatha to organize the alliance. It became known as the League of Iroquois.
A council of 50 specially chosen tribal leaders, called sachems, met once a year. The council made decisions for the League. Here, too, women had a political role because they chose the sachems and watched over their actions.
Make a list of items archaeologists study. ______
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Pick 2-3 items. Explain what information these artifacts would give to an archaeologist.
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Essay
Use the facts/details that you have learned to prove that not all Native Americans are the same.
Hints: 1. Your introduction should be at least 3 sentences long and explain what you are writing
about.
2. Write the body of your essay as if the reader does not know anything about this topic.
3. The body of your essay should be two well written paragraphs. Example: If you are
writing a body paragraph about clothing, discuss 2-3 Native American cultures’
clothing but nothing else.
4. Your conclusion should be at least 3 sentences and should briefly summarize the
body of your essay.
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