Native Americans were the original inhabitants of North and South America, with some groups arriving over 40,000 years ago. There were hundreds of tribes across the Americas, each with their own distinct cultures, languages, religious beliefs, and housing/clothing styles adapted to the local environment. The arrival of European settlers devastated American Indian populations and ways of life through disease, conflict, and displacement from traditional lands. While most Native Americans now live off reservations, many tribes strive to preserve their cultural heritage.

1. AMERINDIAN CIVILIZATIONS
Sources:
https://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/native-americans
https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-indians/
Native Americans
People lived in North America long before the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the
Europeans. These people and cultures are called Native American Indians. The first people
to live in a land are called the indigenous people. This means they were the original settlers.

2. The Native Americans, also known as American Indians, are the indigenous peoples and
cultures of the North American continent (today's United States and
Canada).
There were hundreds of tribes throughout the United States when
Columbus first arrived. Many of them are well known such as the
Cherokee, Apache, and the Navajo. Small tribes often made up part of
larger tribes or communities and they largely lived in peace with each
other.
Historical context
Many thousands of years ago, late in the Ice Age, people living in
present-day India journeyed from Asia into Alaska. Their descendants
explored along the west coast of North America, and as early as 13,000
years ago, they had covered both continents, reaching all the way to
the southern tip of South America.
It is not exactly known when the first Native Americans arrived in North
America, but some archaeologists (scientists who study the remains of
past human lives) believe it might have been as long as 40,000 years ago.
Native Americans lived throughout North and South America. In the
United States there were Native Americans in Alaska, Hawaii, and the mainland of the
United States. Different tribes and cultures lived in different areas. The Native Americans
were grouped into tribes or nations usually based on the area they lived in and their culture
such as their religion, customs, and language. Sometimes smaller tribes were part of a
bigger tribe or nation. As far as historians can tell, these tribes were fairly peaceful prior to
the arrival of Columbus and the Europeans.
The Native Americans did not write down or record their history,
so we have to find out about them in other ways. Today,
archaeologists are able to learn a lot about past cultures when
they discover artefacts such as tools and weapons. Much of what
we know comes from the written accounts of the first Europeans
to arrive. We can also learn from traditions and stories that have
been passed down within the tribes from generation to
generation.
Inuit
Apache

3. Effects of the Europeans
 European settlers to America brought with them diseases to
which the Native Americans had no resistance. These diseases killed
millions of Native Americans and resulted in a huge population
decline.
 Europeans also brought many animals to the Americas which
the indigenous people had never seen, including cattle, sheep, pigs
and horses. Horses had been hunted to extinction by the early
settlers of the Americas thousands of years before the Europeans
arrived. The reintroduction of the horse by the Europeans had an
incredible impact on the American Indians. They learned to use
horses for travel, hunting, and warfare.
Houses
Native Americans lived in a wide variety of homes. Different tribes and peoples built
different types of homes. The kinds of homes they lived in depended on the materials that
they had available where they lived and their lifestyle.
Some tribes were nomads. This meant that the entire tribe would travel
from placeto place.This was common for tribes living in the Great Plains
where they hunted buffalo for food. The tribe would follow the large
buffalo herds as they roamed the plains. These tribes built homes that
were easyto move and build. They were calledtepees. Other tribes lived
in one place for a long time. This was because they had water and food
nearby. These tribes built more permanent homes like pueblos or longhouses.
Clothing
Native Americans made their clothing from animal hides.
Usually, they used the hides of the animals they hunted for
food. Many tribes such as the Cherokee and Iroquois used
deerskin, while the Plains Indians, who were bison hunters,
used buffalo skin and the Inuit from Alaska used seal or
caribou skin. Some tribes learned how to make clothing
from plants or weaving thread. These included the Navajo
and Apache, who learned how to make woven blankets and

4. tunics. All of their clothes were made by hand, and the women would generally make the
clothes. Often, the clothing would be decorated. The Native Americans would use feathers,
animal fur such as ermine or rabbit, porcupine quills,and, after the Europeans arrived, glass
beads to decorate their clothes.
Food
The most important Native American food crop was corn, or what they
called maize. Other important American Indian crops included squash,
potatoes, wild rice, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, pumpkins,
sunflowers, peanuts, peppers, chocolate, and avocados.Native American
tribes also had diets that included a lot of meat. These meats were: elk,
buffalo, caribou, rabbit, deer, salmon, fish, ducks, turkeys, geese,
pheasant, shellfish and other marine animals like
whales and seal. Porcupines and snakes were also
hunted as food.
Native Americans also ate honey, eggs, maple syrup, nuts, salt, pine
nuts, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, acorns,root vegetables and
greens. Native American cooking tended to be simple. Most Native
Americans preferred to eat their food very fresh, without many spices.
Religion
All Native American people were very spiritual and they had many
religious customs and rituals. They also had many gods. They believed
in a special relationship with nature. For most, the Sun was the
supreme god. They worshiped the sun becausethey needed it to grow
their crops. They also needed rain, so many had a Rain god. Other
elements in nature were also worshipped. Most tribes believed in the
power of their dreams as they were considered to be revelations
NavajoIroquois ApacheCherokee Plain indian

5. made by the gods. Most had an important religious leader which some called shaman, or
medicine man.
Symbols
Native American Symbols can vary in meaning from one tribe to another
and across different regions. These symbols were used for a variety of
reasons and on depicted on numerous objects. War paint, body
decoration, used by Indian warriors contained secret symbols - even
horses were painted with symbols. Many were spiritual in nature
conveying religion and beliefs. Others conveyed immediate secret
messages to other tribe members identifying specific clans. Some Native American symbols
were specific to individual families and passed down from one generation to another.
Others had a practical purpose such as providing directions or indicating a good hunting or
designating an area for a specific purpose.
Weapons and Tools
The history and details of the Stone Age weapons made and used by
Native Americans are included in the various articles in this section
which provide an opportunity to study the differences between the
tribes of Native Americans. Native American warriors used a variety
of weapons, such as bows and arrows, war clubs, spears, war clubs,
tomahawks and knives. The tomahawk is one of the weapons closely
associated with native Indians and was most often made with a stone head and usually
employed in close quarter fighting or thrown from horse back.
The history of the weapons is interesting as they were developed from
the Stone Age History of the American Indians, only a few used copper.
Only the arrival of the white settlers from Europe changed the weapons
that they used. One of the main tasks of the men was to make the
weapons that would be required for either hunting or for war. Learn
about the different aspects of life for the native people in the Indian
Weapons and Tools.

6. Native American Women
The role of Native American women varied from one tribe to another and their work varied
according to the culture and location of their tribe. Their status depended on whether they
were born into a tribe. This sectionprovides an illustrated guide to Native American Women
and children and the culture of the Native Indians and the indigenous people of North
America.
Top 10 facts
1. The religious leader of each Native American tribe was called
the shaman or medicine man.
2. Some Native Americans were nomadic (did not live in one
place, but travelled between seasons), some were semi-nomadic,
and others were static (remained in the same place).
3. The groups of Native American tribes spoke different
languages. It is estimated that there were many languages spoken in
around 600 different dialects.
4. Religions and beliefs were very important to the Native American way of life.
Animism is a commonly shared belief amongst American Indian tribes. It is based on
the spiritual belief that everything, living, natural or inanimate and has a soul or
spirit
5. It is better to avoid using the term "Red Indian", as this name originally referred to
a specific tribe, the Beothuks, who painted their bodies and faces with red ochre, so
it may cause confusion if you use it to refer to all Native Americans.
Shaman

7. 6. According to recent census reports, there are about 2 million
Native Americans in the United States and 1 million in Canada
today.
7. Festivals and ceremonies were very important to Native
American culture and were closely linked to religion and
beliefs. It was usual to hold ceremonies and rituals to worship
and pacify the spirits; the festivals and ceremonies would
include chanting, singing and dancing.
8. Native American totem poles are large trees carved with
figures representing faiths and beliefs. The carvings, colours and
symbols on a totem pole have spiritual meanings and significance.
9. Today, there are over 500 recognised tribes in the United
States alone.
10. Music and dance were important parts of the Native American
culture. Songs were sung at important religious rituals,but were also
part of everyday life. They believed that music was the language of
the spirits.
Did you know?
 European settlers to America brought with them diseases to which the Native
Americans had no resistance. These diseases killed millions of Native Americans and
resulted in a huge population decline.
 Europeans also brought many animals to the Americas which the indigenous people
had never seen, including cattle, sheep, pigs and horses. Horses had been hunted to
extinction by the early settlers of the Americas thousands of years before the
Europeans arrived. The reintroduction of the horse by the Europeans had an
incredible impact on the American Indians. They learned to use horses for travel,
hunting, and warfare.

8. Famous Native Americans:
 Pocahontas (1595-1617) – She was made famous by the Disney film
about her friendship with the early American settlers of Jamestown,
Virginia. Her 1614 marriage to settler John Rolfe was the first marriage
between a Native American and non-native in American history.
 Sitting Bull (1831-1890) – He was perhaps the most famous
Native American Indian ever. This Sioux warrior is famed for his
victory over the United States Army, led by General Custer, at the
Battle of Little Bighorn.
 Geronimo (1829-1909) – He was a famous Apache military and
spiritual leader. For several decades he fought Mexican and
United States forces who were trying to take over Apache
territory.
 Crazy Horse (1840-1877) – He was a great Sioux warrior
and a leader in the Great Sioux War of 1876.
Today, some of the descendants of the original American Indians live on areas
of land called reservations. These areas are set aside specifically for Native
Americans. This helps to protect their heritage and culture. However, only
around 30% of people of Native American origin live on reservations. The rest
live outside the reservations just like anyone else.
Activities
 Play online games with a Native American theme
 Make your own dream-catcher
 Dress a Native American virtual paper doll
 Design your own tipi or longhouse
 Create a shark totem pole
 Make a Hopi Kachina doll
 Make your own teepee with step-by-step instructions from Hobbycraft