Native American Culture
Eastern Woodlands
Southwest
Plains
Pueblo Indians
Region
The Pueblo Indians were and Indian tribe from the southwest region. This region was hot, dry, and desert like.
Housing
The Pueblo Indians lived in cliff dwellings known as adobe buildings. The buildings were made from clay bricks that were baked in the sun. Since the climate of the southwest was so dry, these bricks lasted for many years. The adobe bricks were laid like regular bricks. People would use ladders to get into their homes. In times of danger, they pulled up the ladders and no enemy could get inside. They were peaceful yet always prepared for war if other tribes attacked
Food
The Pueblos were mostly vegetarians, but they would eat meat when it was available. The main crop the Pueblo raised was corn. Corn consisted of eighty percent of their diet. Each community had a sun watcher to let everyone in the village know when to plant seeds and harvest the crops. The Pueblo shared fields in which they grew corn and squash, but they also grew individual family gardens. In the individual gardens, they raised other vegetables such as peppers, onions, chilies, and tobacco.
Transportation
The Pueblo Indians didn't use horses or canoes for transportation. To get from place to place, the Pueblo Indians traveled on foot. So their only way of transportation was by walking.
Powhatan Indians
Region
The Powhatan Indians are one of the Eastern Woodlands tribes. This region had plenty of rainfall, numerous lakes, streams, and rivers. The Woodland Indians tended to live near water in the forested areas.
Housing
The Powhatan Indians lived in longhouses. A longhouse is very similar to an apartment building. The longhouse is made of bark and wood from elm trees. Each longhouse could change in size but usually was about 25 feet by 80 feet. Each longhouse was separated into many sections so more than one family could live in one longhouse; much like an apartment building.
Food
The Powhatan Indians were farmers and hunters. The women did the farming and harvesting and the men did the hunting and fishing. The men hunted deer and turkey. The women farmed corn, squash, berries, and nuts, and made soups, stews, and cornbread.
Transportation
The Powhatan Indians made canoes by hollowing out large trees. When they were on dry land, the Powhatans usually walked. They did not ride horses because there were no horses in North America until much later. When the horses were available, they were not interested in them because the Powhatans primarily lived in the forest and the horses lived out on the plains.
Sioux Indians
Region
The Sioux Indians lived in the Great Plains region of North American. The Great Plains region was made up of grasslands, valleys, streams, and hills. There were very few trees found in the Great Plains area.
Housing
At one time, the Sioux Indians lived in tentlike homes called tepees. The tepee was the perfect home for the Sioux Indians because they moved frequently to follow the buffalo herds. The tepee was made from buffalo hides. Tepees were portable, easily moved, and could be put up in only three minutes. When the tribe traveled, the long poles of the tepee were dragged behind the horse and used to carry the Indians things.
Food
Buffalo was the main food for the Sioux Indians. Women collected berries in the summer. Some berries were eaten fresh but many were dried and stored so they could be used as dyes, food, and jewelry. The Sioux men also hunted and ate deer, moose, elk, wolves, coyotes, lynx, rabbits, gophers, prairie chickens, and many other birds and small animals were also trapped. Vegetables were a very important part of the Sioux Indians' diet as well.
Transportation
The Sioux Indians used two methods of transportation. They walked and rode horses. Before the horses came to the plains the Sioux Indians walked everywhere and carried all of their things themselves. When the horses were brought to the Plains it made life much easier. The horses carried them as well as all of their things. Horses also made hunting buffalo easier, safer, and more productive - they could kill more at a time. If a family owned many ponies, they were thought of as very rich.