Vocabulary
A relative who lived in the past.
Ancestor
A big feast that American Indian groups in the Pacific Northwest would hold to honor people is called.
A potlatch.
What resource did women of the Great Plains likely use to make clothing?
Bison skins
The Pueblo people used ___________ to grow crops in a dry land.
Who made the decisions for the Navajo long ago, a chief or a tribal council?
A tribal council.
A system for making rules and decisions.
Government
What can we learn about American Indians by studying their cultures?
We can learn information about their art, languages, ideas, beliefs, history, and tools and skills.
Give an example of a traditional family role of men.
They cleared land for planting, hunted, fished, and kept the village safe.
What did the Mayans develop?
They developed a writing system, made a very accurate calendar, charted movements of the moon and stars, and created a system for advanced math.
Why did people in North America establish trade routes?
To increase trade and gain goods.
A way of life of a group of people.
Culture
Why did the Hopi want to connect to natural forces such as sun, wind, and storms?
The natural forces affected whether the Hopi would be able to survive in nature.
Name a key role of American Indian women in feeding their families.
They planted and harvested crops, cleaned and prepared food, cooked meals, and gathered nuts, seeds and berries
What evidence is there to prove that the Aztec were a settled people?
They built cities and farmed the land.
What geographical factors influenced the settlement of American Indian groups?
Possible answers: Some groups settled near animals that supplied things that they needed to live. Others made use of the trees and animals found in their wooded areas to meet their needs. Others settled near water and became experts at catching fish, seals, and whales for food, tools, and clothing.
Define council.
A body that makes decisions for a group.
Identify a religious custom practiced by an American Indian group.
Possible answer: Woodland groups celebrated the harvest with a Green Corn Ceremony.
Give an example of a traditional family role of children.
They listened to storytellers, played games to learn skills, learned skills from daily tasks, and gained wilderness skills.
How does geography influence how people live?
It can influence where people settle and the available resources, as well as how people adapt to and modify their environment to live.
Why might buffalo skins be a much demanded trade item?
The resource of buffalo was not available everywhere, so trading was necessary to acquire buffalo skins.
Define economy
A system which a group makes, shares, and uses goods.
Why did people who settled in different regions of North America develop different cultures?
They adapted to the environment, which was different across regions, and developed unique cultures even though they shared some similar traits.
Why do you think childhood was so short for American Indian children?
They were needed to help with all the tasks that adults did.
Why were the Mayans and Aztecs considered advanced civilizations?
What kinds of decisions would American Indian groups make in the past that American Indian governments might also make today?
Possible answer: They might need to make a celebration that the group is having such as when a festival will be celebrated or how it is celebrated.