American Indian Culture Regions

1. American Indian Culture Regions

2. Intro Imagine that you are an Alaskan Native. Describe what a day in your life would be like. Include: Where you live What you eat What you wear

3. American Indians are diverse! • When Europeans first arrived in America, they noticed that the Natives were very diverse • Different cultures were developed by Native peoples, based on their environment • Scholars group Native Americans who shared similar cultures into culture regions (or culture areas)

4. What is a culture region? Culture Region:a geographic region which shares similar physical terrains, natural resources, and cultural characteristics

5. Three Characteristics of Culture Regions • Physical terrain • Natural resources • Culture

6. Physical Terrain Climate & Landforms

7. Natural Resources Plant and animal life

8. Cultureeverything that makes up the way of life of a people • Shelter • Tools • Language • Clothing • Arts • Religion • Government

9. Map of American Indian culture regions Mesoamerica

10. 10 Culture Regions • Arctic • Subarctic • Northwest Coast • Plateau • Great Basin 6. California 7. Southwest 8. Great Plains 9. Northeast 10. Southeast

11. 3 7 4 8 10 6 1 9 2 5 Mesoamerica 7 4 8

12. Arctic • Physical Terrain • Large, treeless plains, called tundra, • Frozen and snow-covered • Winters are long and severe • Blizzards • Natural Resources • Little vegetation • Dogs, used for hunting and hauling • Sea mammals major food source (seals, sea lions, sea otters, walruses, and whales) • Other game (polar bears, musk oxen, mountain sheep, wolves, wolverines, foxes, rabbits squirrels, and waterfowl.

14. Subarctic • Physical Terrain • Mostly interior (except Hudson Bay & Pacific coast) • Thick pine forests • Thousands of lakes, ponds, swamps, rivers, and streams • Long winters with deep snow and thick ice • Short summers • Natural Resources • Caribou • Large game (moose, deer, musk oxen, mountain sheep, bison) • Small game (beaver, mink, otter, porcupine, rabbit, squirrel, and waterfowl) • Seeds, berries, bark

15. Northwest Coast • Physical Terrain • Narrow coastal region • Cool & damp climate with mild wet winters and cool summers • Thick forests • Many rivers • Mountains • Evergreen forests • Natural Resources • Lots of food source: seals, sea lions, and fish (salmon, halibut, herring, cod, and flounder) • Hunted whales • Hunt deer, elk, bear, and mountain goat • They learned to dry their meat and fish with smoke

17. Plateau • Physical Terrain • High plateau region, surrounded by desert & mountains • Rivers • Natural Resources • Small game • Wild plants (berries & edible roots) • Fish (Salmon) • Large game in the mountains (elk, deer, mountain sheep, bear)

19. Great Basin • Natural Resources • Sparse vegetation • Very little resources • Small game • Foragers • Physical Terrain • Very dry • Surrounded by mountains, plateaus, & deserts

20. California • Physical Terrain • Mountain ranges & Pacific coastal regions • Forest & deserts • Mild climate, with many warm days • Varied rainfall • Natural Resources • Acorns from oak trees • Wild plants (berries, nuts, seeds, roots) • Fish, seafood, small game, birds, deer

22. Southwest • Physical Terrain • Mesas and canyons, Mountains, deserts • Few rains • Natural Resources • Evergreens (mountains), cactus • Small game (rabbits, birds, and rattlesnakes)

25. Great Plains • Physical Terrain • Large inland region • Rolling, fertile tall-grass prairies • Summers are typically hot and dry, and winters are long and harsh. • Natural Resources • American bison (buffalo) • Farmers • Berries

28. Northeast • Physical Terrain • Temperate & humid climate • Hundreds of rivers, creating rich soil for agriculture. • Widespread forests • *** Sometimes the area is grouped with the Southeast culture area and referred to as the Eastern Woodlands. Natural Resources Animals (a variety of game, large and small: fish, deer, rabbit, squirrel, beaver, and various birds, such as turkey, partridge, duck, and goose; also hunted moose, elk, and bear)

31. Southeast • Physical Terrain • Semitropical • Humid and well-watered • Saltwater marshes, grasses, rich soils, swamplands, rounded hills, high grass, and rolling mountains • Natural Resources • Forests of pine trees • Animals (deer, squirrel, birds, fish)

33. On your index card… Choose a culture region DON’T write it on the card! On the lined side two animals, two types of plant life, and info about the climate Remember DO NOT write which region! Put your name on the back (blank side)

34. Musical Chairs When the music starts move around the room When it stops sit in the closest desk

35. Look at the card on your desk. From what you know, what culture region does it belong in One region at a time you will have a chance to tape your card in the right culture region

36. Artic • Southwest • Subartic • Great • Basin • California • Plateau • Great • Plains • Northwest • Coast • Northeast • Southeast

37. Culture Region Project Assignments • Arctic • Subarctic • Northwest Coast • Plateau • Great Basin 6.California 7. Southwest 8. Great Plains 9. Northeast 10. Southeast