APUSH Unit 1

Who were the Pueblo people and where did they live?

The Pueblo lived in the Southwest (Four Corners: UT, CO, AZ, NM); they built permanent stone and adobe dwellings in small towns.

How did Pueblo society sustain itself?

They developed advanced irrigation systems to farm maize; their sedentary lifestyle supported complex religious and social structures.

What defined Great Basin cultures like the Shoshone, Paiute, and Ute?

They lived in an arid desert region with scarce resources; were nomadic hunter-gatherers; ate small game, insects, and plants; lived in small family groups.

How did Great Plains societies like the Sioux and Cheyenne survive pre-1492?

They were nomadic bison hunters; some farmed near rivers but mostly lived in teepees for mobility.

What major transformation occurred in Great Plains culture post-1492?

he introduction of horses drastically increased mobility, efficiency in bison hunting, and intertribal warfare.

Where did the Algonquian peoples live and how did they survive?

hey lived along the East Coast and St. Lawrence River; hunted, fished, and grew maize, though agriculture was limited in the colder north.

What was the Iroquois Confederacy and why was it formed?

It was an alliance of Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca (and later Tuscarora) in present-day NY, formed to end intertribal conflict.

What were key features of Iroquois society?

They lived in permanent villages; practiced matrilineal inheritance; relied on farming (Three Sisters), hunting, fishing, and gathering.

Describe Chinook society in the Pacific Northwest.

Lived in sedentary, plank-built longhouses along the Columbia River; relied on salmon fishing, foraging, and had a rigid caste system.

What was Cahokia and why was it important?

Cahokia (near modern St. Louis) was the largest pre-contact city north of Mexico (~30,000 people); featured Monks Mound, maize agriculture, trade, and a stratified society.

: What was the role of maize in pre-contact Native societies?

Maize allowed for agricultural surpluses, which supported population growth, permanent settlements, and complex societies (e.g., Pueblo, Cahokia).

What was the 'Three Sisters' agricultural method?

Corn, beans, and squash were grown together to replenish soil nutrients and support a balanced diet; widely used by Eastern Woodlands societies.

What is a matrilineal society and which group practiced it?

A society where lineage and inheritance pass through the mother’s line; practiced by the Iroquois Confederacy.

How did gender roles function in Native societies?

Women often controlled farming and family life (especially in matrilineal societies); men typically hunted, fished, or engaged in warfare.

How did geography shape Great Basin vs. Southwest societies?

The Great Basin's arid climate led to mobile hunter-gatherers, while the Southwest's dry but farmable land supported irrigation-based maize agriculture and permanent settlements.

Compare Great Plains and Eastern Woodlands cultures.

Plains: nomadic bison hunters, teepees; Eastern Woodlands: permanent or semi-permanent villages, farming, fishing, and confederations like the Iroquois.

What role did Native trade networks play before European contact?

Extensive trade routes (e.g., Cahokia) connected diverse regions, allowing exchange of goods, technologies, and ideas long before Europeans arrived.

How did Native societies show cultural complexity before 1492?

Through urban centers like Cahokia, confederacies like the Iroquois League, agricultural innovation (maize, Three Sisters), and social hierarchies (Chinook caste system).