7.6 Native Americans of the Great Plains

Native Americans Before Westward Expansion

History and Culture

  • Native Americans of the Great Plains lived there for hundreds of years without white contact.
  • They followed the yearly migration of the buffalo.
  • They used almost the entire buffalo animal for existence, including food, clothing, and shelter.
  • Horses, introduced after Spanish exploration, greatly aided hunting and moving heavy loads.
  • White settlers moving westward led to conflict over land.

The Great Plains

  • Extends from Western Texas northward through the Dakotas into Canada.
  • Runs westward from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.
  • A vast sea of grass, with grass getting shorter as you move west due to climate changes.
  • In the mid-1800s, it was sometimes called the "Great American Desert" by uninformed Eastern writers; however, it was a land rich in animal and plant species.
  • Abundant wildlife: jackrabbits, prairie dogs, antelope, coyotes, and buffalo.
  • Estimated 12,000,000 buffalo roaming the plains at the end of the Civil War.

Native American Tribes

  • Lived in a rich environment; 31 different tribes on the Great Plains.
  • Apache and Comanche: Texas and Eastern New Mexico.
  • Pawnee: Western Nebraska.
  • Lakota Sioux: Dakotas.
  • Cheyenne and Arapaho: Central Plains region.
  • Estimated 175,000 Native Americans in 1850, speaking different languages but using sign language to communicate.
  • Tribes differed in lifestyles and governance.
  • Common organization: bands of about 500 people.
  • Bands joined together for religious ceremonies or fighting common enemies.
  • Each band had a chief and elders who made decisions and acted as judges.
  • A "soldier band" of warriors settled arguments, punished lawbreakers, and defended against surprise attacks.
  • Warriors moved up socially by proving bravery through "counting coup" - touching an enemy in battle or stealing a weapon.

The Role of Horses

  • Horses are not native to North America; introduced by Spanish explorers in the 1500s.
  • Escaped horses formed wild herds.
  • Native Americans captured and tamed them for transportation.
  • Horses allowed better buffalo hunting during migrations.
  • Native Americans learned to shoot bows and arrows (and later rifles) from horseback.
  • Horses became a symbol of wealth; tribes warred for them.
  • Horses were used to pay debts and buy wives.

Clothing and Adornment

  • Men wore breech clothes and long leggings, with buffalo robes in winter.
  • Women wore sleeveless dresses.
  • Moccasins were worn for foot protection.
  • Clothing made of tanned deer or buffalo skin, sewn with bone needles and sinew.
  • Tanning used a mixture of animal brains and herbs.

Weapons and Warfare

  • Warriors carried 3-foot bows made of ash wood or bone with bone/flint (or traded metal) arrow points.
  • Experienced warriors could fire arrows rapidly.
  • Some carried long lances with sharpened stone points.
  • Shields were made of stiff buffalo hide, smoked and glued made from melting buffalo hooves.
  • Shields were tough enough to deflect arrows and bullets.

Buffalo Hunting and Use

  • Buffalo was the major food source.
  • Hunted whenever they were near.
  • Migrations influenced hunting patterns.
  • Before horses, hunters used buffalo skins to get close enough to shoot with arrows.
  • Another method was the "buffalo jump" - driving herds over cliffs.
  • With horses, hunting became easier; hunters could follow herds and shoot from horseback.
  • Crews of Indians skinned, butchered, and harvested buffalo parts.
  • Skins were tanned for clothing and shelter (tipis).
  • Bones were used for tools.
  • Horns were used for cups.
  • Meat was dried into jerky.
  • Internal organs were eaten in times of scarcity.
  • Hooves were used to make glue.
  • Buffalo droppings were used for fires due to a lack of wood.
  • The whole animal was used; nothing was wasted.

Tipis (Teepees)

  • Portable tent-like structures, quickly raised or broken down for moving.
  • The frame was made of wooden poles, which were scarce and precious.
  • Poles were set up in a cone shape and covered with buffalo hides.
  • A flap at the top let in light and let out smoke.
  • A flap door allowed entrance/exit.
  • A fire pit was built in the center for cooking and warmth.
  • The outside of the teepee often had decorations.
  • Contrast with Southwestern natives (e.g., Navajo) who lived in mud houses called hogans.

Hardships and Adaptations

  • Brutal climate conditions: scorching summers and freezing winters.
  • Dependence on migrating food source with unpredictable routes.
  • Before the white man, the plains Indians lived basically in peace.

Social life

  • To protect faces from wind, sun, and insects, Plains Indians rubbed buffalo fat on exposed skin.
  • Paints for face decoration or war symbols were made from clay, wood ashes, and copper.
  • Large groups of Indians gathered together during the warm summer months to enjoy games, hunting, and socializing.
  • Leaders took advantage of these meetings to discuss problems common to all.
  • Medicine men and other skilled elders shared their skills to help heal those who were sick or injured.