Life and Resources
Indigenous peoples lived in the Americas long before explorers arrived from this continent.
Europe
These three crops were grown by many communities in both the Northeast and Southeast.
Corn, beans, and squash
Northwest communities caught this fish in rivers as an important food source.
Salmon
This large animal provided food and many useful materials for communities on the plains.
Bison
The Arctic had a very cold climate, and much of its land remained this way for most of the year.
Frozen
Water, trees, soil, plants, and animals are examples of these things people use to meet their needs.
Natural resources
Communities in the Northeast used bark from this tree to make canoes and cover homes.
Birch
Some Northwest communities created these carved poles to tell histories and stories.
Totem Poles
This Southwest building material was made from clay, water, and straw formed into dried bricks.
Adobe
Arctic peoples hunted animals such as seals and caribou and also used this activity to obtain food from water.
Fishing
Food, clothing, and shelter are examples of these things every community must have.
Basic needs
Some Northeast communities lived in these large homes that could shelter many people.
Longhouses
Communities in the West gathered these two plant foods described in the reading.
Berries and nuts
Southwest farmers used this method to bring water to crops when rainfall was limited.
Irrigation
Seal hides were useful for clothing because they helped keep people warm and had this important quality.
Waterproof
Stories about a community’s past that are shared by speaking and listening are called these.
Oral histories
The Southeast’s rich soil helped many communities become skilled at this activity.
Farming/agriculture
Some communities used homes that could be taken down and moved easily. Explain why this was helpful.
Portable homes helped people move to follow animals or reach seasonal food and other resources.
Name two ways communities used bison besides eating its meat.
Hides for clothing, blankets, tepee coverings, or containers
Name two forms of transportation used by Arctic communities in the reading.
Kayaks, sleds, or toboggans
Explain why Indigenous communities in different regions did not all have the same homes, clothing, or foods.
Communities had different environments, resources, and cultural traditions. These differences influenced their homes, foods, and clothing.
Explain two ways forests helped communities in the Northeast or Southeast meet their needs.
wood for building; wood for fuel; bark for home coverings or canoes; plants, nuts, and animals for food or materials.
The West included mountains, rivers, coasts, and deserts. Explain why communities in this region developed different ways of getting food.
Different environments offered different foods. Some communities fished in rivers or coastal waters, while others hunted animals or gathered locally available plants.
Explain why a community that followed animal herds might use a tepee instead of a permanent house.
A tepee could be taken down, transported, and rebuilt, allowing people to move with animal herds.
Compare the Arctic and Southwest. Explain one challenge each environment presented and one way people responded.
Arctic: extreme cold—people used warm animal-hide clothing and hunted or fished. Southwest: limited water—farmers used irrigation to grow crops.