Native American Cultures (1491-1607) - (APUSH Period 1 / APUSH Chapter 1)
Summary
TLDRThis US history lecture explores Native American cultures from 1491 to 1607, highlighting their diversity and adaptation to various environments. It covers five distinct cultural groups: the Arctic, Plains, Northeast and Great Lakes, Southwest, and Southeast, each with unique lifestyles shaped by their surroundings. The Plains Indians' bison hunts, the Northeast's 'three sisters' agriculture, Iroquois longhouses, and the Mississippian culture's mounds are featured. The lecture emphasizes the complexity and richness of pre-contact Native American life.
Takeaways
- 📚 The lecture discusses Native American cultures from 1491 to 1607, focusing on the period before and shortly after European contact.
- 🌏 There were several distinct Native American populations in what is now the United States, each with a unique lifestyle shaped by their environment.
- 🏔 In the Arctic regions, tribes like the Eskimos and Inuits relied heavily on hunting, gathering, and fishing due to the inhospitable climate for agriculture.
- 🐃 Plains Indians were characterized by their bison hunts and a migratory lifestyle, which was influenced by the introduction of horses post-European contact.
- 🌾 Northeastern tribes practiced a mix of hunting, gathering, and slash-and-burn agriculture, with a focus on the 'three sisters' crops: corn, squash, and beans.
- 🏡 The Iroquois Confederation is highlighted as an example of intertribal cooperation and peace, with tribes maintaining their identity while forming a lasting alliance.
- 🏘 The Southwestern tribes are noted for their settled lifestyle in clay houses and cliff dwellings, with agriculture primarily based on maize.
- 🏰 Southeastern tribes, particularly the Mississippian culture, built large settlements with mounds, indicating a more complex and stationary society.
- 👥 Gender roles in Native American societies were clearly defined, with men typically hunting and women farming and gathering, differing from European norms.
- 🛋️ Iroquois longhouses were communal living spaces for large family groups, symbolizing the unity and cooperation within the Iroquois Confederation.
- 🌱 The 'three sisters' agricultural method was a sustainable practice where corn, squash, and beans were planted together, supporting each other's growth.
Q & A
What is the time period covered in the lecture about Native American cultures?
-The lecture covers Native American cultures from 1491 to 1607, focusing on the period before and shortly after the European contact.
How many distinct ethnic groups are mentioned in the Americas according to the lecture?
-The lecture mentions that there were 156 distinct ethnic groups in the Americas, with about 50 in the continental United States.
What is the significance of the year 1607 in the context of this lecture?
-The year 1607 is significant as it marks the establishment of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown.
What are the five American Indian culture groups discussed in the lecture?
-The five American Indian culture groups discussed are the Arctic, Plains, Northeast and Great Lakes, Southwest, and Southeast.
What is the primary subsistence of the Arctic Indians mentioned in the script?
-The Arctic Indians primarily subsisted on hunting, gathering, and fishing, with a diet that was 75 percent fat due to the harsh climate.
How did the Plains Indians' lifestyle change after the introduction of horses by Europeans?
-The Plains Indians became more migratory, following the herds of bison and hunting them on horseback, which was a significant change from their pre-contact lifestyle.
What agricultural practice is associated with the Northeast and Great Lakes region?
-The Northeast and Great Lakes region practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, which involved rotating cultivation in different areas after the soil became exhausted.
What crops were commonly planted together by Native Americans in the Northeast and are known as 'the three sisters'?
-The three sisters are corn, squash, and beans, which were planted together and replenished each other in the soil.
What is unique about the Iroquois longhouses and their significance to the Iroquois Confederation?
-Iroquois longhouses were multifamily dwellings that symbolized the unity of the Iroquois Confederation, where multiple tribes maintained their identity but formed a peaceful alliance.
How did the lifestyle of the Southwest Native Americans differ from the Plains Indians?
-The Southwest Native Americans were more settled, living in clay houses and cliff dwellings, and practiced maize agriculture, unlike the Plains Indians who were migratory and dependent on bison hunting.
What is the significance of the Mississippian culture and its settlements, such as Cahokia, in the Southeast?
-The Mississippian culture is significant for its large, stable communities and the construction of Indian mounds, indicating a complex society capable of large-scale construction and potentially supporting thousands of people.
Outlines
🏰 Native American Cultures Pre-Contact
This paragraph introduces the topic of Native American cultures from 1491 to 1607, focusing on the period before and shortly after European contact. It emphasizes the diversity of Native American tribes and their adaptation to their environments, highlighting that there were about 10 major cultural groups in North America, each with distinct lifestyles shaped by their geographical settings. The paragraph also mentions the importance of recognizing the variety within these groups, rather than assuming a single 'prototype' Native American culture.
🎯 Plains and Arctic Indian Lifestyles
The second paragraph delves into the lifestyles of the Plains and Arctic Indians. Plains Indians were characterized by their migratory Bison hunts, which became possible after the introduction of horses by Europeans. The paragraph describes their nomadic lifestyle and the importance of the Bison for their sustenance and materials. In contrast, Arctic Indians, such as Eskimos and Inuits, relied heavily on hunting, gathering, and fishing due to the inhospitable climate for agriculture. The paragraph also touches on the dietary differences and the high-fat diet of the Arctic Indians, which was necessary for survival in their cold environment.
🌾 Agriculture and Settlements in the Northeast and Southwest
This paragraph discusses the agricultural practices and types of settlements found in the Northeast and Southwest regions. In the Northeast, the focus was on slash-and-burn agriculture, with the 'three sisters' crops of corn, squash, and beans being central to their farming. The Iroquois Confederacy is highlighted as a unique political and social structure that promoted peace among member tribes. In the Southwest, the paragraph describes the more settled lifestyle with clay houses and cliff dwellings, adapted to the region's corn-based agriculture. The defensive advantages of these types of dwellings are also noted.
🏟️ The Mississippian Culture and Cahokia
The final paragraph examines the Mississippian culture in the Southeast, particularly the large settlement at Cahokia. It describes the construction of Indian mounds, which were人工土丘, indicating a settled and planned community. The paragraph provides a glimpse into the possible layout of Cahokia, including markets, houses, and city walls, suggesting a complex and sizable society. It also contrasts the common perception of Native Americans as nomadic with the reality of large, stable communities in the Southeast, similar to the great empires of the Aztecs, Maya, and Inca.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Native American cultures
💡Pre-contact
💡Jamestown
💡Ethnic groups
💡Environmental adaptation
💡Arctic Indians
💡Plains Indians
💡Slash-and-burn agriculture
💡Three sisters
💡Iroquois Confederacy
💡Mississippian culture
Highlights
Introduction to Native American cultures from 1491 to 1607, focusing on the time of European contact and the establishment of English settlements.
Recognition of the diversity among Native American tribes, with over 150 distinct ethnic groups in the Americas and around 50 in the continental United States.
Cultural groups are categorized by their environment, with distinct lifestyles ranging from hunting and gathering to agriculture.
Arctic Indians, such as Eskimos and Inuits, relied heavily on hunting, gathering, and fishing due to the inhospitable climate for agriculture.
The Plains Indians were characterized by their migratory Bison hunts and the adoption of horses post-European contact.
The Wichita tribe's unique agricultural practices within the Plains region, trading with nomadic tribes for a balanced diet.
Northeastern tribes practiced slash-and-burn agriculture and cultivated the 'Three Sisters' crops: corn, squash, and beans.
Iroquois longhouses as multifamily dwellings and the symbolic representation of their peaceful intertribal confederation.
Gender roles in Native American societies, with men typically hunting and women gathering and farming.
Southwestern tribes' settled lifestyle with clay houses and cliff dwellings, focusing on maize agriculture.
The unique defensive architecture of cliff dwellings and the famous Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National Park.
Southeastern tribes and the Mississippian culture, characterized by large, stable communities and Indian mounds.
Cahokia, the largest Mississippian settlement, which may have housed thousands and featured market structures and city walls.
Contrasting the common perception of Native Americans as nomadic with the existence of large, stable communities and empires in the south.
The importance of understanding the diversity of Native American cultures and the impact of European contact on their lifestyles.
Invitation to follow the channel for more US history content and resources, including slides, notes, and tutoring services.
Transcripts
[Music]
hey there students thanks for joining me
for the first lecture in my US history
course and in this bit we're going to
talk about Native American cultures from
1491
to 1607 these being symbolic yours 1491
symbolizing pre-contact Native Americans
and 1607 being the first permanent
English settlement at Jamestown so
really looking at Native Americans at
the time of the European contact and
shortly after before the foundation of
English permanent settlements and I have
a couple of objectives today first of
all we need to realize that there were
several different Indian populations in
the present-day United States and
secondly that each of these tribal
groups lived a lifestyle in accordance
with its environment so keep in mind
there is not just one prototype Native
American there are several different
diverse cultural groups and as you see
here we have a hundred and fifty six
distinct ethnic groups in the Americas
of which 50 or so we're in the
continental United States thank you to
Terry at knowledge quest Maps for let me
use this stuff and luckily for you you
are not going to have to learn all 50 of
these different distinct cultural groups
but you need to realize that each of
these groups fits into one of the larger
cultural groups in North America of
which there are about 10 I'm going to
take a closer look at about five and
each of these areas has a distinct sort
of culture about it based on the
environment in that area as you go up
north into modern-day Canada and Alaska
you're going to see tribes that subsist
exclusively on hunting and fishing and
gathering what they can in a climate
that's not very hospitable to
agriculture and as you go south you're
going to see a lot more farming you're
going to still see hunting
gathering and some fishing but not as
exclusive as you see up north and of
course you can see here when you go down
to the southwest and the southeast you
see a good deal more farming and we're
gonna look at five different American
Indian culture groups the Arctic the
Plains the Northeast and Great Lakes the
Southwest and the southeast and just
take a quick look at what makes each of
them unique
so the Arctic Indians we're talking
about Eskimos Inuits these people who
live in these Arctic regions of Alaska
and Canada who lived about exclusively
from hunting gathering and fishing and
you can see here an Eskimo seal hunter
seals are plentiful out there and they
are a source of meat a source of fat a
source of protein these Indians ate a
diet that was 75 percent fat now
somebody eats that kind of diet in the
south that'll kill them
which a lot of people in the South do
eat diets like that but that's not good
if you live in a warm climate like I do
but when you go up there you're burning
so many calories just to exist that that
works that you can eat a diet that would
kill somebody in a more temperate
climate so their lifestyle is a lot
different than the Indians you're gonna
see in the southeast and in the
southwest and let's go on to the plains
region now the Plains Indians are marked
by the Bison hunt they are migratory
because they follow the herds of bison
and they ride horses now keep in mind
that horses were introduced by the
Europeans before European contact there
weren't horses so this is a way that the
European contact actually defined a
lifestyle that was based on following
these buffalo herds and hunting them on
horseback you see this Indian here is
about to kill this bison with a bow and
arrow and these guys Geronimo about to
run some bison off of a cliff now in
case you're wondering yes I
you know that Geronimo was not a Plains
Indian he was the southwestern Apache
Indian but it just fit there with him
jumping off a cliff and keep in mind
these Plains Indians lived a very
nomadic lifestyle that because they
followed the Buffalo they did not tend
to live in settled communities but of
course even within the plains region
this was not always the case you had the
Wichita tribe which lived a lifestyle
more based on agriculture because these
nomads had to have a source of fiber all
right you're not gonna just eat meat all
the time you want to supplement that
with grains and vegetables and that sort
of thing and so these tribes had
subsisted on bison hunting they would go
and trade with the Wichita tribe such as
the Comanche and other people nearby
they would go to the Wichita tribe
they'd trade buffalo meat and Buffalo
skins and all of that kind of stuff and
the Wichita would trade agricultural
products
so even there you're going to see some
settled agriculture in several
communities let's go to the Northeast
where you're still going to see some
hunting gathering but you're also going
to see a lot of what we would call
slash-and-burn agriculture that is not
based on having permanent fields but
really just kind of rotating around here
and there and planning things very
simply just in the environment there and
then after a few years after the soil
becomes exhausted you move on and you
let nature replenish it and maybe you'll
go back there in another twenty years
and the planting of crops there was
based on the three sisters corn squash
and beans and I'll talk a bit about
Iroquois longhouses so these three
sisters you can see here that somebody
is experimenting with Native American
agriculture and the three sisters corn
squash and beans now I'm no scientist I
don't know all of the ins and outs here
all of the what-have-you and everything
but I do know that these crops can all
be planted really kind of on top of each
other and they each will replenish each
other so corn squash and beans and
they're not really planted in rows
they're just kind of planted
where they can be planted so these were
the primary crops that were planted by
Native Americans not only in the
Northeast but in other parts of the
country as well and you can see here the
three sisters being commemorated on the
back of a United States dollar coin now
note here that there is a woman doing
the planning which brings us briefly to
Native American gender roles and men
would typically do the hunting and women
would do the gathering and the bulk of
the farming so gender roles were defined
by Native American cultures and
Europeans were kind of taken aback is
keep in mind that Europeans had a system
of farming that was done by men and they
didn't really hunt because they had cows
and sheep livestock that sort of thing
and so there were some misunderstandings
the Europeans thought that Indian men
were lazy that they overworked their
women which this was just okay well the
Europeans had gender roles and the
Indians and gender roles and they were
just different
[Music]
[Music]
an Iroquois lived in long houses these
were multifamily dwellings where you
could fit a lot of people in here you
build a fire you can keep warm in the
winter and this long house was the
typical dwelling you didn't have
single-family dwellings among these
northeastern Indian tribes and the
Iroquois are distinct because of the
league or Confederation that they formed
once again thanks to knowledge quest
maps for providing me with this and you
can see the Iroquois you had five or six
tribes depending on whether you're
looking at it before after the last
tribe was introduced and these tribes
all maintained their tribal identity but
they made a permanent alliance with each
other and this kind of foreshadow is
what's going to happen with the states
later on and these tribes you're still a
mohawk or a Seneca or an Oneida but you
have pledged peace with each other and
they saw each other as living in a sort
of longhouse they used the longhouse as
kind of an allegory for what they were
doing that we are several families
living in a house together now why would
they form this Confederation well
because there was a great deal of
intertribal warfare they already were
fighting against their enemies the
Algonquin across the Great Lakes and
they weren't going to be able to survive
if they also kept fighting each other
and here in the middle you can see a
European so you see that Europeans are
getting involved in these inter tribal
conflicts and different tribes are going
to take sides with different groups of
Europeans moving on to the southwest
where people are a little more settled
living in clay houses and cliff
dwellings because they practice maize or
corn agriculture that's most of what
they grow and eat so they tend to live
in one place you can see this is a Hopi
apartment
complex basically this is not a large
dwelling like a long house this is a
multi-family dwelling but it's divided
into several apartments and you see that
there are some ladders there you see
that it's fortified you don't see doors
right there on the outside so lots of
people can live in a very enclosed area
and defend themselves from attacks by
outsiders very easily now once again you
see cliff dwellings which have the
advantage of also being defensible you
see where some of these can't be
accessed by somebody that's coming in
and the most famous of the cliff
dwellings would be the cliff palace in
Mesa Verde National Park very very
elaborate definitely a place I would
like to go sometime and finally let's go
to the southeast now in the southeast
we're also looking at several
communities whose lifestyles were based
on agriculture and a specific type of
culture that existed pre-contact was the
Mississippian culture and this was the
biggest Mississippian settlement was at
a place called Cahokia that's across
from st. Louis and these Mississippi and
settlements are characterized by Indian
mounds this is not a naturally occurring
Hill this is a mound that was built by
Indians and if you're going to build a
mound that's that huge you're planning
on staying there a little while they've
reconstructed what Cahokia and other
Mississippian settlements may have
looked like and as you can see there's a
market here and across the river you see
houses you see walls around the city you
see these mounds you see that these
people were there Cahokia may have
housed thousands of people in the city
and its vicinity so we also tend to
think about Native Americans as being in
small groups going from place to place
being nomadic in some cases that's true
but in other cases it's not keep in mind
there also as you go south the Aztecs
the Maya
the Inca who lived in larger communities
and in some cases built great empires so
every one of these Native American
culture groups is different so for those
of you who want a little review or those
of you just want to copy down the notes
maybe I was a little bit too fast for
you press the pause button and do that
or you can listen to me summarize it or
both so first of all we've got the
arctic Indians who are subsisting nearly
exclusively on hunting gathering and
fishing in a climate that is not suited
for agriculture then the Plains Indians
who hunt Buffalo primarily and are using
the Buffalo for go there their houses
their food really for everything
you go to the Northeast and the Great
Lakes and you still see some hunting and
gathering but also slash-and-burn
agriculture which is based on the
cultivation of the three sisters corn
squash and beans and remember the
Iroquois long houses and this sort of
allegory of the Iroquois living not only
in large family groups inside of a large
house but also living in this inter
tribal peaceful confederation then we
look at the southwest we see clay houses
and cliff dwellings and people who
practice maize agriculture and then
finally in the southeast more
agriculture more subtle communities
specifically this Mississippian culture
with its ruins at Cahokia and these
mounds that there are several of them
across the south so that's about it for
that I'm going to continue with US
history so if you want to follow me
along make sure that you subscribe to my
channel visit Tom Richey dotnet my
website I've got all kinds of stuff
there if you want the slides from today
or graphic organizers or notes or
anything like that
visit my website I also do some tutoring
and grading if you're interested in that
Twitter Instagram at Tom Richey I'm also
on Facebook respond to this comment if
it helped you like dislike I hope to see
you again sometime for now I'm out until
next time
[Applause]
[Music]
Посмотреть больше похожих видео
Native American societies before contact | Period 1: 1491-1607 | AP US History | Khan Academy
Native American Societies BEFORE 1492 [APUSH Unit 1 Topic 2] 1.2
APUSH Review: Period 1 (1491 - 1607) In 10 Minutes!
AP US History Study Guide: Period 1 - 1491 to 1607
American Pageant Chapter 1 APUSH Review (Period 1)
Westward Expansion: SOCIAL & CULTURAL Development [APUSH Review Unit 6 Topic 3] Period 6: 1865-1898
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)