American Indians of the Great Plains and Eastern Woodlands

Flashcards reviewing the characteristics, lifestyles, and resource use of American Indians in the Great Plains and Eastern Woodlands.

What is the geography of the Great Plains region?

Mostly treeless grassland with cold winters and hot summers.

Where do the Great Plains in the United States stretch?

From the Rockies to the Mississippi Valley, and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

What animal was central to the lives of the Plains people?

Bison.

How did American Indians hunt bison on the Great Plains?

Small groups ambushed bison; larger groups stampeded them over cliffs.

How did the Plains people use bison?

Food, hides for clothing and shelter, and bones for tools.

How did horses change hunting for the Plains people?

They could bring down more bison and move faster to new hunting grounds.

Where does the Eastern Woodlands cultural region stretch?

From the Mississippi River eastward to the Atlantic Ocean and from Canada to North Carolina.

What were the two major language groups in the Eastern Woodlands?

Algonquian and Iroquoian.

What animals did the Iroquois hunt?

Deer, bears, beavers, birds, and fish.

What were Iroquois longhouses made of?

Log-frame houses covered with elm bark.

What crops did Iroquois women farm?

Corn, beans, and squash.