Great Plains

Environment

Even though the Plains were quite dry, note that plains tribes did have successful farming along the large streams/rivers in the region. They farmed the same crops as in other regions–the 3 sisters.  The most important animal in the Plains was the bison, which was large and provided meat, skin (for clothing and teepees), and bone/horns (for tools).

A grassland area, tough sod to farm on

Climate

• Semi-arid continental climate

• Cold, dry winters and warm to hot summers

  • Northern Winters: around 25℉

  • Southern Winters: above 75℉

• Summer temperatures are above 90℉ for the whole region

(The Great Plains has the greatest swings in temperature.  They reach over 100 degrees in the summers and often drop to well below zero in the winter. This is due to a continental weather pattern, which occurs in regions that are far from any oceans.

The Great Plains were MUCH DRIER than on the east coast, getting about ½ the rainfall of the Southeast. (15-25 inches). This resulted in the dominant plant no longer being trees, which need a lot of rain. Instead, the main plant of the plains was/is grasses. This is why the Plains have/had many herding animals, like bison and pronghorn, because these animals feed mainly on grass.)

Human Culture Pt.1

In the earlier generation of human culture, there were many jobs that the people had to do. The women mostly took care of tending the crops while the men went out and hunted different animals such as deer, elk, and buffalo. A way that the men tried to kill the buffalo more easily was stampeding them off or into different areas. As fall arrived, the men would go back to the village and help with the crops. The different clothing that they wore were deerskin breechcloths, leggings, and simple shirts. The people didn’t live in houses or apartments as we do, but instead lived in earth lodges which were frames of logs covered with bush and dirt, and tipis, which were made out of animal skin and built on the plains.

The yearly long hunt for bison/buffalo was intense and important.  All parts of the animal were used for survival.  Before the arrival of horses and guns (from the Spanish), groups of native men hunted bison by sneaking up on the herds with bow/arrow and spears. Sometimes the Indians also used fire to herd the animals into a stampede, scaring a few animals off of a cliff, where they would be wounded. The Indians would complete the kill and then feast on and preserve the remaining meat and skins, to be used in the coming year.

Human Culture Pt.2

In the 1600s Spaniards brought horses to the great plains region letting there to be a new life style made. The people rode horses to follow the herds of buffalos in the grasslands. Due to there being more tribes being made and more white settlers coming this lead to fights breaking out.

Buffalo/bison hides were especially useful for clothing and housing.  Yes, people of the region had dirt and earthen houses along the rivers, but they also had conical teepee (tipi) tents that were made of long, flexible sticks, bound together at the top and then covered by bison leather that was sewn together into a large tarp. Teepees were easy to put up and take down, making them idea to house people during the long hunts for bison that occurred in the summer and fall of each year.

Tribes

 Sioux and Mandan