Plains Indians LET NATURE BE YOUR GUIDE BROKEN TREATIES BROKEN HEARTS DANCING WITH GHOSTS WHERE HAVE ALL THE BUFFALO GONE ? IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Plains _Indians_cover.indd 1 3/15/17 4:09 PM 2 l MORE THAN 30 Native American nations, sometimes Regions 1700s called tribes, lived on the Great Plains. This map shows where some of the larger nations lived in the 1700s. Their names sometimes reflect what they called themselves. More often, they got their names from others. Assiniboin comes from an Ojibwa word meaning “he cooks using stones.” The Dakota Sioux called the Assiniboin “reb- els.” The French called them “stone warriors.” Where the Buffalo Roamed Imagine a time before cities, railroads, highways, and automobiles. Once upon a time, the vast grasslands of America’s Great Plains rolled on for thousands of miles with nothing to disturb them but the hooves of buffalo, deer, antelope, and elk. Thousands of years ago, small bands of hunters walked onto the Great Plains. Over time, their numbers grew. Different groups developed into different nations with different languages. Yet they still walked the plains, hunting with bows and arrows and spears and living in tepees. They hon- ored the spirits who guided and protected them. They raised their children to do the same. These are the Plains Indians. In time, the Plains Indians settled into one of two ways of life. They were either nomadic or sedentary. Nomadic groups moved their camps to follow herds of buffalo. Sedentary groups settled down in villages, especially on the northeastern fringes of the plains. They learned farming from their eastern neighbors. But they made short trips to hunt buffalo too. These enormous, shag- gy grass-eaters provided the Plains Indians with everything they needed to live. Plains _Indians_sp1.indd 2 3/15/17 4:18 PM 3 d ALTHOUGH LAN- groups that had a guage and social common ancestor. customs united People in the same a nation, people band didn’t always What is the difference between a buffalo and bison? usually traveled belong to the same in smaller groups, clan. Some nations called bands. had many clans. Members of some Others had only nations also a few. belonged to clans, u THE GREAT PLAINS century, grasslands u WEATHER ON THE u THERE ARE NO area was formed covered the Great Great Plains was more huge buffalo millions of years Plains. To the east harsh. Summers herds. But descen- ago, as huge were areas of long were hot and dants of the Plains glaciers – large, grasses, called prai- dry, with strong Indians still live in slow-moving sheets ries. Short grasses winds and some areas of the United of ice – passed grew on the central thunderstorms and States and Canada over the land during plains. By the early tornadoes. Winters where the buffalo the Ice Age. On 1800s, farmers had were freezing, with once roamed. These the eastern border built homesteads hailstorms and Arapaho women of the plains are and plowed the blizzards. (above) live in woodlands, rivers, grass under to Wyoming. and rolling hills. The create fields. As flat central area has a result, the vast few trees or lakes. grasslands began to Before the 19th disappear. Plains _Indians_sp1.indd 3 3/15/17 4:18 PM 4 l AROUND 900 CE, certain Plains peo- History of the ples, influenced by their eastern wood- land neighbors, Plains Indians began to develop a more settled way of Until Europeans arrived in life. They created farming villages the Americas with horses, along streams, Plains Indians hunted buffalo everywhere from on foot. They used dogs to carry the present-day belongings. Some Plains Indians call the Dakotas to Texas. After 950 CE, corn time before Europeans the Dog Days. In and beans became the 1500s and 1600s, Spanish soldiers and crops, brought in from the East or settlers brought horses to the Southwest. the Southwest. Over the next few hundred years, some They became an horses became wild, multiplied, and spread important part of the food supply. throughout the Great Plains. By the late The village women 1600s, Plains Indians were taming these did the farming. wild horses. They used them to hunt buffalo, Men hunted buffalo a few times a year. or they traded them. By making it easier for The sedentary Plains Indians to get food, the horse created people also traded their farm products a better life for them. Some call this time the to nomadic Plains Plains peoples’ golden age. people for meat. u THE FIRST PEOPLE also hunted other r PLAINS INDIANS the French word arrived on the game, including a attached wooden for “work.” A Great Plains about species of small poles to a dog’s strong dog could 12,000 years ago. horse, which later harness. This pull 40 pounds Scientists today became extinct. made it possible about five to six call these early Remains of mam- for the dog to miles a day. Later, people Paleo- moth bones and carry their pos- they used horses Indians. Not much spear tips from sessions. When to carry items. A is known about about 11,000 French explorers horse pulling a them. We do know years ago have first saw this kind travois could travel that they hunted been found on of carrier, they twice as far in mammoths, rela- the southern and called it a travois a day as a dog, tives of elephants western plains. (truh-VWAH). The lugging up to (above). They name came from 200 pounds. Plains _Indians_sp2.indd 4 3/15/17 4:19 PM 5 d DIFFERENT PLAINS (formal agree- SOON AFTER THEY the side of a horse, nations spoke dif- ments). They made started riding hors- using the horse as ferent languages. hundreds of signs es, Plains Indians a shield. They could They developed with their hands became skilled pick up a fallen a common sign and arms. This riders and trainers. warrior from the language all could sign language was The best could ground while riding use. It allowed an early version shoot an arrow at a gallop. different nations of modern sign while clinging to to trade with each language, which other, warn of is used by people danger, and make with impaired peace treaties hearing. r TO COMMUNICATE d PLAINS PEOPLES pictures on buf- were called winter over long distanc- did not have writ- falo hides. Some counts. People es, some Plains ten languages. drew one or two counted their age Indians used smoke They kept records major events a by the number of signals. The timing of important year on a hide. winters that had of the smoke puffs events by drawing These records passed since they meant different were born. The things. Drums Kiowa developed a and flashes of system of picture sunlight (reflected symbols that was off shiny objects) like a written were also used to language. send messages. Plains _Indians_sp2.indd 5 3/15/17 4:19 PM 6 ONCE THEY HAD a stampeding Hunters and Warriors horses, the Plains buffalo could Indians began to stomp its rider Men of the Plains nations hunt on horseback. to death. Some divided their time between One well-aimed hunters used arrow could kill a spears, which hunting and warfare. Buffalo buffalo weighing took more were their main prey. But close to 2,000 strength and pounds. The chase courage. In doing they also hunted smaller was dangerous. so, they deliber- animals. Warriors fought If a horse ately increased to score the best hunting stumbled the danger. grounds and campsites for and fell, their band. They also fought to get horses and to defend against attacks on their land. r BEFORE THEY had horses, Plains hunters would crawl through tall grass to get close to a buffalo herd. Then they would shoot a buffalo with a bow and arrow. In winter, there was no tall grass, so hunters horseback, some- was to build a might cover them- times stampeded V-shaped corral of selves in buffalo a herd of buffalo wood or stones. skins to approach over a cliff. Other Hunters would herd a herd. Wolf skins hunters waiting at stampeding buffalo also worked, the bottom killed from the wide end because a healthy the buffalo that to the narrow end, buffalo didn’t fear hadn’t died from where they could wolves. Plains the fall. Another be killed with less hunters, on foot or hunting method risk to the hunters. u WHEN THE HUNT they took the hide was divided equal- was over, women and meat back to ly among the rest skinned and camp. The man of the band. butchered the who had killed the buffalo where they buffalo owned the had died. Then hide, but the meat Plains _Indians_sp3.indd 6 3/15/17 4:21 PM 7 r THE PLAINS PEO- carved into knives, ples used every spears, and other part of the buffalo. tools. Horns were Hides were made used as cups and into clothing, moc- spoons. Hair was casins, and tepee twisted into ropes. walls. Tendons Hooves were from the neck made into glue, made thread and and the fat into bowstrings. The soap. Ribs stomach was used could make a as a water con- sled frame. tainer, and the tail Sun-dried buffalo became a flyswat- droppings were ter. Bones were burned for fuel. d EACH NATION HAD warrior societies. These had their own songs, danc- es, and dress. Some were divided into age groups. Warrior societies took on such jobs as policing the campsite. u PLAINS INDIANS raided other bands to take horses.