American West

History revision

Plains Indians

Great Plains

The Great Plains are the grasslands of the North American continent, and lie between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.

Tipi's

Tipi was the home for the Indian. It was the perfect home for their lifestyle.

1. They needed to move around, the Indians were nomadic because they had to follow the buffalo as they provided everything the Indians needed.

2. The extremes of weather. In the winter the tipi kept the Indians warm and in the summer it could be opened up so they kept cool

3. The strong winds. The tipi is shaped like a cone, this shape meant strong winds blew around or over the tipi.

4. The lack of wood on the plains was overcame by the tipi as it didn't require a large amount of wood only the centre pole which was reusable.

Buffalo

Every part of the buffalo was used to supply the needs of the Native Americans.

1.    Buffalo provided the people's main food - buffalo liver, brain and nose gristle were a treat, eaten raw.

2.    Buffalo bones were also carved to make knives, and boiled to make glue.

3.    Buffalo skin could be used to make tipis, clothes, moccasins, bedding, saddle covers and water-bags.

4.    Dried buffalo dung provided fuel for fires.

5.    Buffalo horns and hooves were made into cups.

6.    Buffalo sinews were used as bowstrings and thread.

7.    Buffalo fat was used as soap.

8.    The rough tongue of a buffalo could be used as a hairbrush.

History revision

Plains Indians

Religion

Family and Customs

Decision making- to be able to survive on the plains the Indian bands had to corporate . The medicine man, chief and elders were the people most highly respected and listened to.

Old people- gave advice and passed on history however Indians believed in exposure this was if an old persons or any person was ill they chose to be left behind so the band can move on.

Family life- families spent the year travelling. To marry in Indian culture the man had to prove worthy to the woman's family. Polygamy was also common in the richer families due to more women and less men.

History revision

Plains Indians

Were Indians violent?

Indians were often viewed as very blood thirsty. Their clothing and face paints created a scary appearance to white men. Indian warfare was not ever a declaration of war neither was it large groups of men fighting, instead warfare was a series of raids: To steal horses
                                                                                                            :  To seek revenge
                                                                                                            :  To destroy enemies
Indians often fled from a battle because men had to stay alive to care for their families. 

Manifest Destiny

In 1845 a journalist used the term manifest destiny, this quickly became a battle cry for America to get…