Table Of ContentK
A
v
Children’s Activity/ Education Resource Ages 9–12 I
N
The Algonquian language gave us more than 100 words we still use today,
T
including hickory, moose, totem, and woodchuck.
ools of
During the salmon run in the pacific Northwest, tribes caught so much fish T
o n
that women had to boil them in dugout canoes.
o
ATive
l
Igloos were made by Inuits as temporary homes during seal-hunting season, S
o
and they took about an hour to build.
F
N
A
Tools of Native Americans: A Kid’s Guide to the T
Iv A
History and Culture of the First Americans
E
explores how the first Americans learned A mericAns
M
to survive and thrive by creating tools,
E
r
culture, and a society based on I
C
their immediate environment. A
N
S
A Kid’s Guide to the History & Culture of the First Americans
Includes a comprehensive state-by-state listing of Native American A
K
sites, museums, and events throughout the United States i
d
’s G BUIlD
u
id inventions,
e
t tools, and
o
Praise for Nomad Press’s Tools of Discovery and Build It Yourself books: t works of art
h
e
H
i
s
Great Civil War Projects You Can Build Yourself to 15
r MEET ExplorE
y
“A fascinating gem of a book.”—The New York Times &
C the people the history of
u
whose culture Native Americans
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself ltu helped form Hands-On with hands-on
re Activities
“More than an activity book, this nifty volume explores Leonardo’s life, o our own activities
f
t
times and endless imagination.”—Seattle Post-Intelligencer h
e
Fi lEArN
r
s
t
Tools of the Ancient Romans A how the discoveries
m
of the First Americans
“A lively and entertaining survey of a millennium e
0978503791 ri affect us today
c
of Roman history.”—School Library Journal a
n
s
$11.95
Kim Kavin
t
ools of
n
Ative
A
mericAns
A Kid’s Guide to the History & Culture of the First Americans
Build
inventions, tools,
and works of art
15
Meet explore
the people whose the history of Native
culture helped Americans with
Hands-On
form our own hands-on activities
Activities
learn
how the discoveries
of the First Americans
affect us today
Kim Kavin
Nomad Press
A division of Nomad Communications
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Copyright © 2006 by Nomad Press
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher,
except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. The trademark “Nomad Press” and the
Nomad Press logo are trademarks of Nomad Communications, Inc. Printed in the United States.
ISBN: 0978503791
Questions regarding the ordering of this book should be addressed to
Independent Publishers Group
814 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
Nomad Press
2456 Christian St.
White River Junction, VT 05001
www.nomadpress.net
Image Credits
Cover Images: chief on horse: courtesy of Jack Hines; tipi: Dave & Brenda Viers, & White Buffalo Lodges, & Marcy Ellis,
Artist; p.21: atlatl: courtesy of National Park Service, www.nps.gov; p.33: copper tools: courtesy of Lee Foster,
www.fostertravel.com; p.48: sled: courtesy of [email protected]; p.48: buffalo: courtesy of www.firstpeople.us;
p.51: travois: courtesy of Rose High Bear, [email protected]; p.52: chief on horse: courtesy of Jack Hines;
p.59: Mogollon pit house: Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona; p.76: bear: www.firstpeople.us; p.87: Arctic:
courtesy of Evert Wesker: www.euronet.nl; p.92: igloo: Copyright 2003-2005 Clayton Yee, www.pbase.com; p.95:
sled dogs: ca. 1994 by Isa Boucher (Seppala Kennels, Whitehorse, YT, Canada); p.105: Chief Sitting Bull: wikipedia.
org. From the Library of Congress: p.30: baby frame; p.31: canoe scene; p.44: chickee hut; p.50: chief; p.53: party on
horseback; p.56: three Indians (“Northwestern University Library/Edward S. Curtis’s, “The North American Indian:
Photographic Images, 2001”); p.81: whaling crew, and fish rack (“Northwestern University Library/Edward S. Curtis’s,
The North American Indian: Photographic Images, 2001”); p.99: first Thanksgiving; p.100: settlers. From Classroom
Clipart: p.1: Indians; p.35: longhouse; p.62: Aztec city; p.80: longhouse; p.95: seal; p.98: Columbus’ fleet; p.102: Trail
of Tears; p.104: Battle of Little Big Horn. All other images, unless otherwise noted, from Dover Publications.
c
ontents
Chapter 7
Timeline and Map ..............................iv The Pacific Northwest Tribes
The Nootkas,
Makahs, and Tlingits ...............................75
Introduction .............................................1
Chapter 8
Chapter 1
The Arctic Tribes
The First Americans .......................................3
The Inuit ......................................................87
Chapter 2
Chapter 9
The Archaic and Formative Periods ........17
New Immigrants, Manifest Destiny
and the Trail of Tears ...................................97
Chapter 3
The Northeast Woodland
Appendix
and Great Lakes Tribes
Native American Sites
The Algonquian and Iroquois ..............27
and Museums State by State ...............107
Chapter 4
The Southeast Tribes Glossary .....................................................117
The Cherokee, Catawba,
Creeks, and Seminoles ...........................37 Index ............................................................120
Chapter 5 Bibliography ...........................................122
The Great Plains Tribes
The Cheyenne,
Lakota Sioux, and Comanche ............45
Chapter 6
The Southwest and Mesoamerican Tribes
The Hohokam, Mogollon,
Anasazi, Maya, Aztec,
Hopi, Apache, and Navajo ....................57
T
imeline
20,000 BCe–8000 BCe—It is believed that 1400–1500—European explorers arrived in
the first Americans arrived in the Americas North America.
sometime within this 12,000 year period.
1492—European explorer Christopher Colum-
5000 BCe—People in the area that is now bus made landfall in the Americas and de-
called Mexico were growing maize. scribed finding “Indians.”
3500 BCe—People in Mexico were grow- 1513—European explorer Juan Ponce de León
ing squash, beans, and potatoes, and they had made landfall in modern-day Florida.
learned to make pottery.
1620—The Mayflower landed at Plymouth
2000 BCe—People in Mexico were using cal- Rock.
endars, writing in hieroglyphics, studying the
1621—The pilgrims and Native Americans
stars, worshiping gods, playing games on stone
shared a feast that became the basis for Thanks-
courts, and making books out of deerskin.
giving.
1000 BCe—People in Mexico were building
1650—About 50,000 Cherokee lived in the
temple pyramids.
Southeast at this time, with as many as 200
400 BCe–1500 Ce—The Hohokam culture villages.
rose to prominence in the Southwest.
1680—Popé leads the Pueblo Revolt.
300 BCe–1300 Ce—The Mogollon culture
1741—Vitus Bering died trying to find a land
rose to prominence in the Rocky Mountains.
bridge between Siberia and North America. His
100 Ce—It is believed that Teotihuacán, an ship’s crew brought beaver pelts home, begin-
Aztec city, housed as many as 200,000 people ning a fashion fad that inspired many Europe-
at this time. ans to set sail for America’s Pacific Northwest.
200 Ce—At this time Tikal, a Maya city, July 4, 1776—The Declaration of Independence
spanned 23 miles. signed, establishing the independence of the
original 13 colonies.
1000 Ce—Tikal and Teotihuacán had fallen by
this time for unknown reasons. 1804–1806—Within this two-year span Lewis
and Clark made their famous expedition.
1300–1400—As many as 500,000 Iroquois and
Algonquians lived in the Northeast Woodlands 1828—The Cherokee Phoenix, the first Native
and Great Lakes region during these years. It American newspaper, was published for the
is believed that this was the height of these first time.
civilizations.
iv
1829—U.S. President Andrew Jackson de- 1939–1945—During World War II, Navajo
clared that there was an “Indian Problem.” Wind Talkers enabled the U.S. military to com-
municate in codes that baffled German and
1830—Andrew Jackson signed The Indian
Japanese code breakers.
Removal Act.
1964—The Civil Rights Act restored tribal law
1838—Roughly 15,000 Cherokees in Georgia,
on reservations.
North Carolina, and Tennessee left their homes
and walked the “Trail of Tears” to Oklahoma 1970—President Richard Nixon, in a speech
where they were forced to relocate. to Congress titled “Special Message on Indian
Affairs,” called for a new era of self-determina-
1843–1852—Governor Isaac Stevenson of the
tion for native peoples.
Washington Territory negotiated 52 treaties
that transferred 157 million acres of land from 1978—The American Indian Religious Free-
Native Americans to the United States. dom Act became U.S. law, making native reli-
gious practices legal again.
1858–1886—Geronimo, an Apache warrior,
led raids against Mexican and U.S. settlements. 1980—The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the
Sioux Indians were entitled to $17.5 million,
1864—Native Americans from California who
plus 5 percent interest per year since 1877, to-
had survived the influx of hostile white settlers
taling about $106 million, for the taking of the
during the gold rush were forced to walk 200
Black Hills against the written promises of the
miles and relocate near Fort Sumner in New
Treaty of Fort Laramie.
Mexico.
1988—The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act al-
1876—Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led an
lowed reservations to build casinos and offer
infamous battle against U.S. Lt. Col. George
gaming to the general public.
Armstrong Custer: the Battle of Little Bighorn
a.k.a. “Custer’s Last Stand.” 1996—President Bill Clinton declared that
every November shall be National American
1900—By the start of the century less than
Indian Heritage Month.
a thousand buffalo remained alive in North
America. One hundred years earlier there had 2002—With construction under way on the
been an estimated 60 million. National Museum of the American Indian
in Washington, D.C., 500 Native Americans
1905—U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in-
danced during a nearby two-day powwow at-
vited Geronimo to participate in a Washington,
tended by 25,000 spectators.
D.C., parade.
2004—The National Museum of the American
1929—James Ridgley Whiteman found spear
Indian opened in Washington, D.C.
points and new evidence of a flourishing Na-
tive American culture that had existed thou- 2006—Several hundred Native American-
sands of years before the European settlers owned casinos generate about $20 billion in
arrived in “The New World.” annual gross revenue.
v
Pacific Northwest: Haida, Tsimshian,
Tlingit, Tillamook, Chinook, Älsé, Coos,
Coquille, Nootka, Makah, Chinook, Washo, Arctic: Eskimo, Inuit. Generally
Wishram. Generally known for fishing known for hunting seals,
techniques including weirs, preserving fish arctic building igloos, and
by smoking them, using fish oil for cook- making soapstone
ing and medicine, candles.
hunting
whales,
trading
pacific
northwest
among tribes, and
holding potlatch
dinners. The Tlingit
were specifically
northeast
known for creating
totem poles. Great Woodlands
plains
Woodlands/Great
Great
Great Plains: Lakes: Algonquian,
lakes
Cheyenne, Lakota Southwest Iroquois, Mohawk, Oneida,
Sioux, Comanche. Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca.
Generally known for Southeast Generally known for planting
hunting buffalo, using crops, living in permanent
Mesoamerica
travois, and fishing in structures as well as wigwams,
bullboats. The Comanche hunting deer and other migratory
were specifically known for animals, using wooden tools,
horse breeding and handling. smoking food and storing it in
silos, making copper jewelry, and
trading wampum. The Iroquois
were specifically known for living
in longhouses, and the Algonquians
Southwest/Mesoamerica: Maya,
were specifically known for creating
Aztec, Pima, Papago, Hopi, Navajo,
a language.
Apache. Generally known for building
great cities, using hieroglyphics,
developing irrigation systems, living in
pueblos, weaving watertight baskets, and
farming. The Navajo were specifically Southeast: Cherokee, Catawba, Creek,
known for creating dry paintings. Seminole. Generally known for farming,
living in permanent structures and even
towns, and wearing face paint. The Chero-
kee were specifically known for creating a
language and a newspaper.
vi
i
ntroduction
ative American history has been told in many ways.
Some of the early U.S. History books taught that the
first people of the Americas were savages. Today, of
course, we know this was not at all true. Native Amer-
icans were hardworking, clever people who made
homes and villages and lived in
harmony with the natural world
around them. The way they did
so, and the tools they used along
the way, is a tribute to the human
spirit.
Tools of Native Americans ex-
plores the history of
the first people who
ever made their homes
on the land we know
today as the United
tools of native americans
States. It traces their evolution from small groups of people working
to make tools out of stones and driftwood into large civilizations with
complex tools, including calendars and written and spoken language.
We’ll take a look at the first people who came to North
America and the routes they may have traveled. We’ll see
how different tribes adapted their homes, cultures, and
methods of survival to their environment so successfully
that huge civilizations emerged. While we can’t look at
the history of every single tribe—there are hundreds and
hundreds of them, enough to fill dozens of books—we
will learn about certain tribes whose lifestyles, living
quarters, and tools offer a good example of survival
methods and cultures in different parts of the Ameri-
cas. We’ll meet the Inuit, who developed igloos to
survive near the Arctic Circle; the Cherokee, who
dominated much of the Southeast and developed a
written language that spread across the continent;
and the Tlingits, who discovered and reaped the
benefits of trade and eventually became mid-
dlemen for wares brought from all across the
Pacific Northwest.
The story of these and other Native
Americans is not just a story of survival,
but of ingenuity and adaptation in the
face of great challenges. Whether invent-
ing ways to preserve fish without refrig-
eration, creating houses out of nothing
but snow, or training horses to become
effective partners in battle, the Native
Americans continually forged new
ideas that remain a strong influence
on people all over the world today.
2
CHAPTer
1
Discover the Learn about Find out how the
mysterious archaeological sites first Americans
landmass of Beringia and the historical hunted wooly
that is now treasures they hold mammoths for
beneath the sea survival
T F A
he irsT mericAns
ow did you get here? Not just to where you are sit-
ting and reading this book right now, but to the town
where you live? Were you born here, or did you and
your family move here when you were younger? How
did you move? Was it in a car, or on a train? Why does
your family live in one state instead of another? If your grandparents
or great-grandparents started out in another country, how did they
move across the ocean or from other parts of North America to
get here?
Think about the question again:
How did you get here?
Scientists have been
working for hundreds
of years to try to
answer that very
question—not just
about your family,
