Chapter 3: Early Native American

Society

The history of early Native Americans is generally divided

into what 4 periods?

1. Paleo

2. Archaic

Woodland

Mississippian

The earliest Americans crossed a land bridge from what is now Siberia into Alaska.

These Paleo Indians followed large animals like mammoths and mastodons.

They hunted these animals for food and clothing.

Archaic PeriodDuring this period, the

climate became warmer and drier and the large animals died out.

The Native Americans had to adjust to their environment, and they became less nomadic.

They hunted smaller animals with spears.

We know very little about them because they had no writing system, but we do know that they used stone tools.

The Woodland tribes built mounds for what purpose? What

were they often shaped as?

They were built as burial mounds.

They were often shaped as animals.

Where did these moundbuilders live?

Near rivers and streams

Once these moundbuilders learned how to farm, they no longer solely depended on hunting and gathering.

These moundbuilders produced many different styles of pottery.

What type of tools did they use?

Copper and stone tools.

What does the presence of copper tell us about these

tribes?

That they must have been a part of a wide-ranging trade system.

At the end of the Woodland period, they began to use the bow and arrow.

The Mississippian culture built mounds for what

purpose?

Religious buildings and the homes of chiefs were built on top.

In the Natchez tribe, who lived on top of one of these

mounds?

The Great Sun (the chief)

What surrounded the Mississippians’

villages?Wooden fences

Where were their villages located and

why?Near rivers and streams because of the fertile soil.

What were the major crops of the

Mississippians?Corn, beans, and squash

Native American Societies

The three largest tribes that existed in Mississippi were: Natchez, Choctaw, and Chickasaw.

How was each village governed?

Through representatives who were elected to a tribal council.

A strict chain of command regulated

issues such as…Titles of individuals

Seating at the council

Tattoos a man may have

Within each village were several clans, which are groups of related families.

Responsibilities of the Clan:

Approved marriages

Punished criminals

Protected each other

Sought revenge

Family LifeThese tribes practiced exogamy, marrying outside of the clan.

When a couple got married, whose family did they live closest to, and who was a boy’s

closest male relative?

A couple always lived closest to the woman’s family.

A boy’s closest male relative was his mother’s brother (his uncle).

Explain polygyny

When a man has more than one wife.

What crops did these tribes raise?

Corn

Pumpkins

Beans

Peas

What were the responsibilities of men and

women?

Men: hunting, fighting, building, and clearing land.

Women: planting, pottery, and gathering food.

Religion and Recreation

The religious beliefs of Native Americans centered around: the sun and sacred fires.

Native Americans believed in many spirits associated with nature and animals.

What are two of the games that Native Americans

played?

Stickball

Chunky

In the Natchez tribe, what type of authority did the

Great Sun have?

All political and religious authority

What happened when the Great Sun died?

Some of his wives and other tribe members would be killed and buried with him.