Unit 3: Native American Notes

Week of 11/19

 Modern-day Native Americans are descended from the Ancient Civilizations of North America
 Native Groups formed 10 distinct regions across North America over the years –
1. Northeastern Woodlands
2. Southeastern Woodlands
3. Great Plains
4. Southwest
5. Great Basin
6. California
7. Plateau
8. Pacific Northwest
9. Arctic
10. Subarctic

 Each region had specific natural resources the Native Americans relied on for food, shelter,
clothing, tools, and trade.

 Native People have immense respect for nature. Absolutely nothing they take/use is wasted. If
a deer was killed to feed the tribe, every part of that deer would be used. Skins would be used
as clothing/blankets or as part of their shelter, bones would be used for shelter (larger bones) or
tools (including the smallest bones used as needles), organs would be used for ceremonies,
eaten or used for healing, blood would be used as a dye or in meals as flavoring.
 Part of the reason nothing was wasted and they cared so much for nature is that for many, part
of their religion states that when someone passes away, their spirit moves into another living
thing (an animal, plant) or becomes one with the land around it (the wind, water, rocks). They
believe their loved ones sacrifice themselves (in the form of an animal) for the good of the tribe,
so that sacrifice should be honored and not wasted.
 As Europeans moved into North America and began forcing Natives off of their lands, this was
especially cruel considering the belief that their ancestors lived on in the natural elements
around them. “Grandma” wasn’t just buried in the tribal lands; her spirit lived on in the grass of
the land. So, leaving their home was worse because it was like leaving all of their ancestors, too.