Native Americans Religious Archives - American History For Kids

Between 5 and 15 million Native Americans lived in North America when the Europeans arrived. They lived in varied climates and geographic areas. Just as you wouldn’t expect people living in the Southwest today to live exactly like people in New England, Native American tribes varied considerably in their traditions, languages, and culture. Their clothing, homes, and diet were different, depending on the resources available. Yet, many of the tribes shared similar traits. Families were tight-knit with grandparents and uncles and aunts helping with childrearing. Men and women had defined roles and jobs. Children were expected to help and were taught the skills they’d need as adults.

Fun Facts

Native Americans’ homes varied, depending on the resources available. In the Northwest and Northeast, where forests were abundant, tribes built wood homes. Up to 12 Iroquois families lived together in a longhouse, a long wooden building with rooms separated by curtains. Plains Indians lived in teepees made from buffalo skins. In the Southwest, families lived in houses made from clay or stone bricks.
Native Americans wore simple, loose fitting clothing made from animal skins most of the time. They wore elaborate beaded clothing during ceremonies. Women wore dresses and skirts. Men wore shirts and leggings. Along the Northwest coast, Native Americans wove clothing from shredded cedar bark. Elsewhere, people used cotton or other plant fibers.
Babies spent most of their time strapped in a cradleboard and carried by their mothers. Older children were cared for by their extended family. Girls learned to sew, weave baskets, prepare food, tan hides, and make pottery. Boys learned how to hunt and fight. They made weapons and tools. All children liked to play games and listen to stories.
Native American tribes often traveled long distances in search of food. In the North, they harnessed sleds to dogs. In other areas, people walked. Women carried babies and supplies on their backs. The men usually didn’t carry anything because they needed to be ready to hunt or defend their tribe from enemies. Native Americans were skilled at building boats and canoes for traveling on rivers, lakes and the sea. Native Americans soon learned to use horses, brought by Europeans.
Many tribes were peaceful, but some tribes were aggressive and constantly at war. Men received honor for their bravery in war.

Vocabulary

Geographic: refers to the land
Aggressive: war-like
Trait: a characteristic
Tight-knit: close

Questions and Answers

Question: Were Native Americans religious?

Answer: Native Americans believed that spirits were all around them and controlled their fortunes. They performed rituals and dances for rain and abundant harvests. They felt strongly connected to the natural world. Shamans performed healing rituals.

Learn More

Watch a video at the History Channel about the first Americans.

People lived on the North American continent long before Christopher Columbus’s voyage. Archaeologists have found evidence that the first settlers came to North America at least 16,000 years ago. They probably followed grazing animals across a land bridge that connected Alaska to Siberia during the Ice Age. This land bridge disappeared when the ice melted; the area is now covered with water and is called the Bering Strait. In 2013, scientists and archaeologists made a surprising discovery. They learned that at least one-third of Native Americans probably descended from people from the Middle East or Europe, rather than East Asia. We still don’t have all the answers, but the history of Native Americans is more complex than archaeologists originally believed.

Fun Facts

The first people were excellent hunters. They probably hunted large animals, such as wooly mammoths and bison using nothing but spears.
Native Americans used the natural resources around them for all their needs. They made weapons and tools from bone, stone, and wood. They made clothing from animal skins and plant fibers. They ate wild roots, seeds, and berries, and of course, fish and game.
Native Americans adapted to their environments and climates. In the forests of the Northwest, Native Americans built wooden homes and became skilled fishermen. In the Southwest and Southeast, Native Americans learned how to grow crops. They cleared forests for farmland. The Plains Indians relied on buffalo for food and clothing
Native Americans lived in tribes, or social groups. Each tribe spoke its own language. There were more than 1,000 languages and dialects. Tribes had their own specific traditions and culture.
In general, women had more power in Native American tribes than European women of the same period.

Vocabulary

Archaeologist: a scientist who studies human history and culture
Ice Age: a period of time in which glaciers cover much of the Earth
Complex: having many details
Dialect: a language variation spoken by a certain group of people and based on location and culture Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers

Question: Did Native American tribes have government and leaders?

Answer: Many smaller tribes consisted of only 3 to 5 extended family groups. These tribes had no formal government, although wise women or men might sit on a council and offer suggestions. Larger groups sometimes had a chief. Native Americans believed the land was to be shared and used carefully. Individuals couldn’t claim a piece of land as their own.

Learn More

Visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian for lesson plans about Native Americans.

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