The plains Indians
What were warrior societies?
A groups best fighters. They worked with warrior societies from their tribe and fought others. They did not fight long battles over land but instead held short raids to capture horses, weapons, or to avenge a wrong.
Who were the Sioux Nation?
A large group with 7 tribes, each of the 7 tribes had smaller tribes which consisted of 3-7 bands.
What were the uses for different buffalo parts?
Hide - Meat, shoes, clothes, bags, tipis and shields. Dung - Fuel Bladder - Food bags Bones - Knives, tools, sledges Fur - Blankets, mittens, clothes Tongue - Hair brush Sinews - Bowstrings, and thread Fat - Soap
What were the roles of men?
Hunting, looking after horses, protecting their band.
What were the roles of women?
Looked after tipis, prepared food, fetched water, made clothes and other items. They were highly valued as child-bearers.
What was the role of men regarding buffalo, and what was the role of women and children?
Men hunted the buffalo. Women and children cut it up using all parts of the animal except the heart.
Why were plains Indians Nomadic?
So they could follow the Buffalo.
Who was the great spirit?
The God that the Plains Indians believed created everything. They believed that nature and all living things were part of the Great Spirit. They therefore worked with nature and believed that no one should own or alter land.
What did the plains Indians believe about war?
They fought to show bravery and get horses or to drive others away from buffalo hunting areas. They considered it better to count coup than to kill. Warriors scalped enemies to keep them from the afterlife. Scalps would be dried and kept as trophies.
What were the roles of the elderly?
They gave advice to the council, passed on history and helped to raise children. They are looked after until they are too weak, they would then be left behind.
What did a nomadic lifestyle mean for the plains Indians?
They had few possessions. They used poles from their tipis as sledges for travel. Tribes consisted of many bands.
What was the role of horses?
They made travelling and hunting easier. They also measured wealth by horse ownership.
What were tipis?
They were circular homes made of buffalo hides wrapped around a framework of poles. They were easy to put up and to take down suiting their nomadic lifestyle. The conical shape also resisted the large amount of wind which blew across the plains.
What were the roles of children?
They were considered the future of the band so they were taught skills such a horse riding from an early age. They were also taught skills according to their gender which they would need later in life. They were cared for by everyone.
Why were visions important?
They were contact with the spirit world. They were also part of a child becoming an adult and there were ceremonies for this.
How did the bands work together?
They would meet once a year in the summer to trade horses and find wives. They consisted of a chief who made important agreements and decisions but they did not have to be obeyed. The councils made final important decisions such as going to war.
